The Dark Instrument
by BEASTMASTERTOAD
Summary: The origin of the dark instrument known as the Fused Shadow unfolds in an epic tale of Hyrule's darkest hour.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

~~~Din, Farore, Nayru. In the beginning, three Goddesses went forth to create a land for their chosen people. Din carved the earth from shadow and brought form to it. Nayru set forth the law and created order from chaos. Farore cultivated the land and gave it life. After they had finished, they left this world, leaving behind an embodiment of their power, the Triforce.

It is said that the Goddesses chose the bloodline of the Hero and the bloodline of the Royal Family to seal the Triforce within. Only by the rite of their bloodshed could the Triforce be found. Knowing this, an ambitious sorcerer took the Princess of Hyrule as his captive for the purpose of obtaining the power of the Goddesses by the shedding of her blood. Using the Blessed Sword, the Hero arose to destroy the sorcerer. In honor of the weapon the Hero used, the people of Hyrule built a Temple to keep the blade safe for the Heroes of future generations…

Even as he squinted, Link could see nothing but darkness. Slowly, the scenery of a chapel came into existence around him. He looked around, bewildered at where he was. Far ahead of him was a towering stained-glass window, depicting an image of the Goddesses cradling the Triforce. Rays of light extended from the triad piercing through the darkness below it, revealing the Hero's Sword, the Master Sword. As he continued to scan around the chamber of this mysterious chapel he had found himself in, he noticed that the only noteworthy thing within the expansive room was a pedestal with a silver blade grounded in it. A small set of steps led to the sword from where Link stood.

He began ascending the steps slowly; still attempting to make sense of everything he was seeing. He came to a stop in front of the pedestal where the sword stood. He noticed that the sword also bore the emblem of the Triforce upon its blade. He grabbed the indigo handle of the blade and pulled it from its place with less effort than he was expecting. As he examined the blade of the sword, he noticed that his reflection was as dark as a shadow. Link suddenly examined his clothes to see if they were as dark as his reflection noted. He was wearing a green tunic and a hat, both of which he had never seen in his life. He turned again to his reflection on the sword, and saw that it still insisted upon depicting him as a shadow of some sort.

Suddenly, footsteps echoed throughout the chamber. Link turned behind him and saw three shadow figures approaching him. All of them had horns like a beast and wide eyes that seemed nigh-omniscient. The one in the middle of the trio raised its hand and fired a black ball of some sort of malevolent energy. Link dashed to the side, avoiding the attack. As the ball dissipated upon the wall behind Link, the figure to Link's right quickly approached him and used its mighty claws to slash at Link. He parried the caustic strike with his sword and slashed the creature. It stumbled away from Link, holding its wound. Just then, one of the other figures appeared behind Link and hit him with a force that sent him flying to the other side of the room, causing him to lose his grip on the sword and drop it.

One of the figures picked up sword, but quickly dropped it and clutched its hand. Link suddenly felt himself lift from the floor and into the air. He was then pulled violently into place above the pedestal where the sword once rested. The sword lifted in the air also and pointed its blade at him. The sword zoomed at Link and drove its silver blade through his heart. A light flashed and then all was dark.


	2. Chapter I: Link's Awakening

**Chapter I: Link's Awakening**

Link screamed as he sat up from his bed in a panicked manner. His blue eyes were wide with contracted pupils as he fought intensely to catch the breath his frightful nightmare had stolen from him.

_"What kind of dream was that?"_

He felt around on his left chest, expecting to find an empty hole. To his relief, his body was still intact. Link let out a slight gasp as someone began knocking on his apartment door. He quickly ran to the door and opened it. An elderly woman with peculiar red eyes, wearing a gray robe, stood there. "Are you okay in there? I would have thought that a ReDead lived in here if I didn't know any better."

Link nervously chuckled at her attempt to humor him. "Yes, I'm fine. I just…had a bad dream, that's all."

"Well, if you insist. Have a good morning, child," she concluded as she turned down the hall.

The woman was the land-lady of the housing apartment that Link lived in. She had a habit of calling him "child", even though he was obviously a man. After closing the door, he walked over to the covered windows, yawning along the way. He pulled back the curtains to see a bustling street below, filled with people of all kinds, from Hylians, to Gorons, to Zoras. Scores of other buildings and street stalls could be seen throughout the town from his view. In the distance, Hyrule Castle towered over the town, being illuminated by the morning sun.

Link turned from the window and went to a drawer and dressed himself in a gray tunic with brown pants and leather shoes and prepared to leave.

As Link stepped out of the building and into the street, he caught sight of the Temple of Time, with its steeple rising high above the town. As he took in the sight, he recalled his dream. He dismissively shook his head and walked on into the crowed street, navigating his way through Hyrule's robust capital. As usual, he was on his way to the town's most popular tavern, Telme's Bar. Not only was it a place for fellows from all walks of life to gather and share their stories over various beverages, but it was also a place for employment for mercenaries looking for work. After working his way from East Side to South Side, he finally arrived at the bar, nestled nondescriptly in an alleyway. With such a location, it was a wonder that it became as popular as it was.

Inside, the bar was surprisingly active, considering that it was the morning. Most of the bar's patrons were Castle Guard soldiers, the guardians of the town and Hyrule Castle. Link made his way through the bar and to a sizable billboard with numerous posts stuck to it. Each post read a description of a certain job that the client would be hiring for. Link began reading each of them to himself.

"Help wanted! A bodyguard for transporting goods!"

"Join the Castle Guard! Sign up at a recruitment station! Anyone is qualified!"

"Recruiting strong minds and swords. Join the search for the Triforce!"

The latter post grabbed his attention.

_"It's forbidden to look for the Triforce. And even if it wasn't, no one would take this seriously enough to—!"_

Link jumped when he felt a hand touch his shoulder.

"Is see that you are interested in our mission," a cloaked man said – the one who touched his shoulder. His face, save for his mouth, was concealed by a hood he wore. The entirety of the black cloak he wore covered his whole body; even his feet were covered by the cloak. And even more peculiar, was the design on his cloak: a stylized rounded eye with three wavy eye lashes and what seemed to be a tear streak below the eye.

"Who said I was interested?" Link answered him, pretending to be indifferent.

"I can tell that your words are betraying your heart. I think you really want to see our plight," he stated with confident smirk.

"You don't know anything about me," Link remarked, annoyed at the man's condescending attitude. "Either way, what you're trying to accomplish won't work. It's forbidden to –."

"According to who?"

Link tried to think of a way to rebut the man, but was caught on his words. As seemingly bold and defiant as his statement was, it was true. It had always been an excepted custom not to seek out the Triforce. There was no law or decree stating that the Triforce was forbidden to be sought after.

"Even so," Link started, "No one would take you seriously enough to go along with this."

"But I'm sure that you would rather this than another dull job with meager pay like all of these other men have resigned to," the man quickly answered.

Again, Link found that the man had made yet another strikingly true point. Even if their search ended in a failure, he would still be paid, and the journey itself would probably be a reward. It was a much more promising prospect than the mundane thrills that the other jobs were offering.

"Even if I did join, what would I have to do?" Link asked, still putting up a disinterested front.

"Every adventure has its dangers. It's only natural that we acquire some worthy warriors to protect us."

"'Us'?" Link questioned.

"Yes, my research group. You didn't expect me to be the only one, did you?" the man answered with sarcasm. "So, will you join us?" he persisted.

"I need some time to think about it," Link responded, lightly shaking his head.

"We will reward you well if you do. Please consider carefully," he concluded and then disappeared into the crowd of mercenaries, befitting of his enigmatic appearance.

As Link attempted to make his way out of the bar, a voice called out his name. He turned to the direction the voice came from to see a man, dressed in Castle Guard attire, waving at him. Link smirked and walked over to the man's table.

"Hey, Link! It's been quite awhile!" he said with a beaming face.

"Same to you, Viscen. What brings you here?" Link said as he sat down.

"I come here almost every morning, but you're usually in-and-out too fast for me to have a word with you," he answered jokingly. "How's the mercenary business going?" he asked.

"I'm making a decent living so far. Things have been a little on the slow-side lately, but it's still more interesting than being bound to a post where nothing ever happens."

"To each his own, I guess. You would have definitely made Knight by now if you stayed with the Castle Guard," Viscen responded.

"Maybe, but I doubt I would have enjoyed the formalities of it much."

Viscen put his elbows on the table and rested his chin on his hands. "Are you planning on taking up that mission?" Viscen asked Link in a serious manner.

"So you saw what happened over there?" Link asked.

"Though it's not illegal to search for the Triforce, I'd personally advise against getting involved with that man."

"Don't worry, it's not like their search will be anything fruitful in the end," Link said dismissively.

"Still," Viscen continued, "Keep your eyes open on them."

"I will."

Viscen stood up from his seat. "It's time for me to report in for today, so I'll see you around."

Link closed the door behind him and sat his bag on a table in the middle of his one-room apartment. Outside the window displayed the scene of Castle Town winding down at the sign of the twilit sky. He fell back into a chair near the table and reclined in it, rubbing his eyes to relieve the stresses of the day. Ever since that morning, the man from the bar and his quest offering had constantly run through Link's mind. His rational self kept telling him that he shouldn't get himself involved with them, but an innate curiosity within him urged otherwise. In fact, his curiosity had become even more inviting to him after what occurred after the bar…

* * *

_Earlier that day…_

Link stepped again into the busy streets after leaving Telme's Bar. He began making his way to East Side, where the Temple of Time was. He knew very well that what happened to him in his sleep the last night was merely a nightmare, but even so, it seemed too ominous and too vivid to be only a dream. There had to be something more to it. To find out if there was, he was going to visit the temple for some sort of confirmation that it was only a dream. It was the only way he was going to be at ease.

Before long, he arrived at the yard that led to the Temple of Time's doors. Rows of perfectly aligned trees led the way to the steps of the temple. On both sides of the path were two reflection pools, showing an image of the calm morning sky. As he made his way down the path and up the set of steps leading to the temple's doors, he took in the majesty of the building. Once he made it to the temple's large, wooden double doors, he gave a firm push to one of them and allowed the door to slowly swing itself open.

As he stepped inside, he examined the interior. The floor was made with marble stone, arranged in a checkerboard pattern with a gray-colored stone path that led directly to an altar at the other end of the enormous room. Many sizable clerestory windows lined the walls, reaching high to the ceiling, and were of pure-white glass. Steps on both sides of the altar led to a giant stone door with an image of the Triforce, inscribed in a circle that shone rays of light, engraved in it.

Link approached the altar slowly as he looked around. He had been here before, but unlike previous visits, everything about the temple felt foreboding. He wanted to believe that it was simply his imagination running wild, but he couldn't convince himself that such was the case. He stopped in front of the altar and began reading it quietly to himself.

"The Blessing of the Forest. The Power of the Mountain. The Grace of the River. The Messenger of Time. Shall these things bring forth the Chosen Hero."

Below the words were three hallowed slots. Link ran his hand into one of the slots and the suddenly chuckled to himself.

_"What am I doing? This is a waste of time…"_

After letting out a sigh, he turned away from the altar and began making his way out.

_"Shy not away from your destiny. Seek the Princess of Hyrule."_

Link stopped dead in his tracks as he began to realize that something had just whispered to him. "Who said that?" he shouted, turning about to locate the owner of the soft voice he heard. The temple was as empty as seconds before. He looked back to the altar, almost as if he believed that it spoke to him.

_"What was that just now?"_

After leaving the Temple of Time, Link began running his regular errands around the town. While nothing strange had happened to him since leaving the temple, he had noticed something that was bothering him. A man with a black, hooded cloak had been following him throughout much of the day. The first few times, he passed it off as mere coincidence, but it had gone on too long for him to continue to dismiss the man. The fact that the man wore a black cloak reminded Link of the cloaked man from the bar earlier that morning. Was the man that emphatic about Link joining them that he was willing to go to this sort of measure?

Deciding at last to lose his tail, Link began walking in a larger stride, hoping to outpace the man. Even with the waves of other pedestrians serving as potential obstacles to the mystery-man's ability to keep up with Link, the man still kept pace. Link eventually turned his long stride into a running pace. He attempted to move through thick crowds as well to throw the man off. After running about a block, he glanced back and saw, to his dismay, the man still trailing him.

Suddenly, in a last-ditch effort, Link broke away from the street and into an alley way. He ran down it quickly and then turned a corner and hid behind it to see if his follower dared to pursue him even here. With held breath, he waited a few moments for the man to turn into the alley for him, but after a while, he still did not appear. He had finally lost him. Link turned around with a sigh of relief, only to yelp in surprise at the cloaked man's immediate presence behind him.

"You need to do better than that if you were planning to lose me," the man said with a bit of scorn.

"Why are you following me? I know you want me to join your research group, but does that mean you're going to spy on my every move until I give in?" Link berated the man.

"It seems you have me confused with someone else, perhaps?" the man noted.

"What are you –?" Link stopped his sentence short as he noticed the design on the man's cloak. It seemed to be that of a warped depiction of the sun with a sunburst. "Who are you then?"

"Yes, I am in league with the man you met earlier today, if that is what you're wondering," he answered.

"So…?"

"So what?"

"So you still haven't explained why it is I'm being followed!" said Link, growing more frustrated.

"It was so I could observe you for the mission. We are looking for the very best, and so I was observing your alertness, even in a peaceful environment such as this."

"I never said that I had agreed to this mission so there's no need for you to continue bothering me like this," Link said as he began to walk away from the man and back to the street.

"I feel it…"

Link stopped walking. "Feel…what?" he hesitantly asked, bothered by the statement.

"I feel the doubt in your heart. No matter how much you fight the idea, you are still compelled to want to know more. You desire to know your destiny."

Link turned to face the man. "Don't act as if you know me," he said grimly.

"It's not an act. That fact is written all over your expression and communicated underneath your words." The man turned away from Link as if he was preparing to walk off. "If you join us, you will come to know your destiny." In the blink of an eye, the cloaked man vanished from sight.

* * *

_'Recruiting strong minds and strong swords. Join the search for the Triforce!'_

_ 'If you join us, you will come to know your destiny.'_

As Link continued to lie back in his chair, he couldn't help but think about all that had happened. As much as he hated the idea of those men being right, he knew that he did want to join them on this quest. But more than that, he was curious as to what the man meant when he mentioned Link's destiny.

_"It's probably nothing but a ploy to get me to go along with them,"_ he thought, trying to relieve his mind.

Even if it was a ploy, he knew that there was something more to all of these recent events than just them wanting his assistance for their search.

_'Shy not away from your destiny. Seek the Princess of Hyrule.'_

With the dream and that voice in the Temple of Time, something more had to be involved. And Link prepared himself for sleep, he resolved in himself to do as the voice he heard commanded. If the voice was right, he would have his answers by the end of the next day.


	3. Chapter II: Embracing Destiny

**Chapter II: Embracing Destiny**

~~~The sky was twilit, but it possessed an otherworldly glow. The land was barren and broken; chunks of earth levitated mid-air as far as the eye could see. A large hill led up to a cliff at its peak, with the Triforce casting a brilliant light where the hill ended. Upon witnessing the sight, Link began to sprint his way to it, governed by an unshakable lust for obtaining the Triforce. As he made his way, the ground shook violently. A strange silhouetted beast rose from the void. It was of gigantic proportions. On its head were the horns of a beast and wide, glowing eyes. Link quickly came to a stop as he took notice of the fearsome creature and began backing away. With impressive speed, the creature's hands fell upon Link…

Link broke the silence of the room with a loud shriek upon waking up. He sat up for a few seconds, gathering his wits as he attempted to organize what happened to him in his mind. He wiped the cold sweat from his face and climbed out of his bed. The light of dawn shone in the room from the windows that he left uncovered from last night. As Link expected, the door rattled as someone from the other side banged on it. He ran to the door and opened it.

"This is the second time you've yelled in your sleep in a day! Are you okay, child?" the land lady scolded him, folding her arms.

Link rubbed the back of his head while smiling. "Sorry, it was just another nightmare."

"Maybe you should pay a visit to the fountain and sort out whatever's been bothering you, child. It always helps me, anyway. Well, have good day," she concluded as she turned back down the hallway.

He didn't know if he would succeed, but Link had concluded that he was going to find a way to meet with Princess Zelda. The problem was that no commoner would just be able to request an audience with her, but through Viscen, a Knight of Hyrule, he stood a chance at meeting her. After all, if it was his destiny, then it would work out somehow.

When Link entered Telme's Bar, he saw Viscen in the same place as he was yesterday. He was occupied with his drink. Link went over and sat in a chair at his table.

"Ah, good morning, Link!" Viscen greeted, surprised that Link came to him unannounced.

"Viscen, I have a question for you," Link started off frankly.

"Well, what is it? It must be important if you're cutting to the chase like this."

"I need to get an audience with the Princess."

Viscen coughed in surprise at Link's request. "What? Do you realize that what you are asking is ridiculous?"

"I know it sounds crazy, but it's about the business with the Triforce search from yesterday," Link informed him. Though that was part of the reason, he didn't want to tell Viscen about his dreams and the whisper at the Temple of Time. His request was ridiculous enough without a strange story attached.

"Hmm…well I'll send the word in for you, but don't be shocked if they decline your request."

"Thanks," Link said as they both stood from the table. "I'll be at the fountain at the Town Center."

The Town Center was alive as usual, crowded with residents, tourists, those on business, and Castle Guard squadrons patrolling the area. Link watched from a table outside of a restaurant as each unique life interacted with another as they passed through the Town Center, unfazed from their busy lives even by the chill of the winter. Link's gaze fixed on the Crest of Hyrule, positioned atop the tallest steeple of the Temple of Time.

As an average Hylian, he never really had any interest in the legends surrounding the Triforce and the Goddesses, nor did he really care if whether they existed or not. He figured that such things were better left to scholars and royalty to ponder. He was just content to live life as he felt. However, he could no longer hold the same views about his life with all that happened to him the day before.

_ 'If you join us, you will come to know your destiny.'_

_ 'Shy not away from your destiny.'_

He didn't want to admit it, but he began wondering if it really was destiny call out to him. And if destiny was calling him to some purpose, what was it? While his two nightmares and the group urging him to join them seemingly had no relation to each other, both of them centered on the Triforce in some way. But even with this linking factor, Link was unable to understand what all of it was signifying.

Then, Link had a sudden realization that gave him shivers. He remembered a folk legend about the Hylian's ears being long so that they could hear the voices of gods.

_ "What if that whisper was –?"_

"…Link!"

Link jumped in his seat as he noticed Viscen calling out to him from the street. Link got up from his table and ran to meet him. "So what happened?"

"By some miracle, she actually agreed to meet you right away! Come with me!" Viscen hurried toward the Castle as Link followed.

They made their way through Upper Castle Town to the North Gate. Link knew he could no longer ignore the idea that destiny was involved now. Eventually, they arrived at the gate, guarded by two guards, who stood at attention and saluted as Link and Viscen drew near. Upon Viscen's return of their salute, the guards pushed open the heavy wooden doors of the gate that led to Hyrule Castle Bridge. Far below the bridge was the Zora River, running endlessly through a deep canyon that it carved over centuries of flow. It had been over two years since Link had last walked across the Castle Bridge, when he used to be a member of Castle Guard.

As they made their way across, Link heard the shouts of a group of guards at the end of the bridge, yelling up to the guards that stood upon the walls of the Castle. Before they reached the end of the bridge, the Castle gate was already pulling open for them. As he and Viscen crossed through the Castle threshold, two of the guards that stood at the gate followed along with them. Inside the Castle walls was the Castle Yard, as series of courtyards and gardens that made up the grounds of the Castle. It was built magnificently with perfectly coordinated rows of flowers and trees of all kinds and a host of statues that were dispersed about the yard. The centerpiece of the section that they walked through was an obelisk that reached high with the Crest of Hyrule at the top. They hurried through the courtyard along a cobblestone path that led to a staircase leading to the main body of the Castle.

As they entered into the main body's Entrance Hall, two more guards accompanied them in their walk. Link understood that the guards were forming on Viscen and him because of protocol for the fact that he was a Royal Family guest of honor and, more importantly, because he was a commoner. After a few minutes of scaling up many floors and walking down a number of hallways, they arrived at the entrance of the King's Tower, a tower high upon the Castle in which the Royal Family of the Throne lived. They continued on until they reached a door guarded by two guards.

Upon noticing Viscen, the two guards stood at attention and saluted him. Viscen relieved them with a salute of his own. "I have the man that requested to meet with Her Highness."

"Yes, sir. This way," one of the guards answered as he and the other opened the double-doors to the private quarters of Princess Zelda.

They all stepped inside of the modest room, furnished with a canopy bed that lied at the left wall of the room, a wooden desk with a chair nearby the bed, and two wooden chairs placed in the center of the room, facing each other. To the right was an unlit fireplace and directly across from them was wide window, showing a grand view of East Hyrule with Death Mountain lying at length. Princess Zelda and a tall, muscular woman with white hair and red eyes stood by the chair facing them.

"Thank you for escorting him, Sir Knight," Princess Zelda said, nodding to him.

Viscen bowed slightly to her with the guards following suit. Soon after, he and the rest of the guards left the room.

Princess Zelda turned around and began walking towards the window. "Please, have a seat."

Link nervously proceeded to his chair and took his seat as she requested. He glanced up to the woman that stood near the empty seat. He noticed that her gaze was fixed on him. Her blood-red eyes felt to him like they were staring into his soul as his eyes briefly met hers.

"The woman with us is my caretaker, Impa. She will remain in here with us, if you don't mind," Princess Zelda informed Link as she turned around to him.

"N-no, I don't mind," Link stuttered. "Your Highness."

"I understand that you have something to ask of me?" she continued as she approached her seat and sat down.

"Um, well I found something that I think may be of some concern." Link paused to collect his thoughts. "Yesterday, I found an advertisement recruiting members for a Triforce hunt."

"Hmm…I see," Princess Zelda said as she looked at her hands, resting on her lap. "Is there anything more that you might want to tell me?"

Link's heart skipped a beat as she finished her question. Even if destiny may have been involved in leading him there, he feared her reaction if he actually told her that a voice led him to her. Despite his fear, however, he determined to tell her. Destiny supposedly got him this far.

"Well, actually," he began, "There is something else… It happened when I visited the Temple of Time, yesterday. I know it might sound crazy, but –."

"You heard a whisper?" she finished for him.

Surprise welled up inside of Link, but he worked to keep it from showing in his expression. "Well, yes, but how did you know?"

"I also heard one. The voice informed me that you would be coming."

"What do you believe this means?"

Princess Zelda closed her eyes in thought. "I honestly haven't any idea myself."

"I believe I have an idea, at least," Link suggested.

Princess Zelda looked up at Link, interested in what he was preparing to say.

"Over the last two nights, I've had strange dreams. They only happened in my sleep, but both were so vivid that it was almost as if I actually was there." Link leaned forward. "In the first one, I found myself in a place that resembled the Temple of Time. The Master Sword from all of the legends was in the room with me and when I pulled it from a pedestal, three shadows appeared. Each of them had strange horns and wide eyes. They attacked me and I tried to fight them off, but they bested me and stabbed me with the sword.

"And then the next dream I had was even stranger. I found myself in a strange world with floating chunks of land scattered about and the Triforce within my reach. For some reason, I ran for the Triforce, but a giant creature, similar to the shadows from the first dream, appeared and crushed me with its hands."

Zelda listened to him with her eyes closed, focusing on every detail of the story.

"The one link I've discovered with the dreams and this search for the Triforce is that the Triforce seems to be the driving force behind all of it. The Triforce was in a stained-glass window in my first dream, shining on the Master Sword, in my second dream as the real thing, and it's what the men from the advertisement are after."

"Perhaps the dreams might be signs, warning us of what might happen. Maybe we are being warned that these men involved with this Triforce hunt will end up becoming a danger in the near future."

"Well, only someone looking to start trouble would even think of looking for the Triforce anyway."

Princess Zelda stood from her seat and started towards the window once more. "Link."

"Yes?"

"Do you want to stop these men from doing the Kingdom any harm?"

Link glanced up again at Impa, who stood stoically. She still fixed her solid gaze at him with no sign of emotion on her face. He turned from her entrancing eyes and looked to Princess Zelda, who looked outward into the great expanse of Hyrule. "Yes."

She turned around and faced him. "Then I will need your cooperation to stop them."


	4. Chapter III: The Beginning

**Chapter III: The Beginning**

~~~Link stepped through the door and into Telme's Bar once again. After thinking over a course of action, he and Princess Zelda had decided that it would be best for Link to join the men in their endeavor for the Triforce to keep a closer eye on their true intentions. Since it was in the afternoon, the bar was already beginning to fill up with men who had drunk more than their fill. As he walked through the tables of patrons, he caught sight of one of the two cloaked men, sitting at a table near the back of the bar, looking almost as if he was expecting him to show up. Link sat down at his table without any greeting.

"Have you made a decision?" the man asked.

"Yes, I'll join you all on this quest of yours."

The man's lips formed a smirk. "You've made a good choice, comrade. You'll find this journey to be worth your while."

"What is the pay going to be?" Link asked frankly. He wanted to seem like his decision was based merely on business and self-interest.

"The pay will be 200,000 rupees, whether success of failure."

"And when do we depart?"

"Tomorrow morning, we'll meet outside of the South Gate. Our first destination will be the Lost Woods. We'll provide the necessary living accommodations and transportation, so all you must bring is a weapon and a change of clothes if you desire."

"How many more will join us?"

"Three others and whomever else we hire in the mean time. Any other questions?"

Link stood up from his chair. "No, that's it."

Link sat up from his bed at the sound of a crowing cucco. He sighed inwardly as he realized that a nightmare hadn't forced him awake for once. But at the same time, he felt slightly disturbed that a dream hadn't occurred either. He got out of his bed and began to dress in his clothes: chain mail under his gray tunic, tan pants, and brown leather boots. After clothing himself, he fastened a shield and a double-edged sword on his back and started out of his door.

After informing the landlady that he would be gone on a new job, he started his way to the South Gate. The early-morning clouds scattered a warm red light through the sky, giving the town a strange crimson shine. Only Link's footsteps and that of an occasional passerby echoed through the sleeping streets of the town. He looked around at every building and vacant stall he passed, taking in the sights as he came nearer and nearer to the South Gate. Given the nature of the journey he was setting out on, he knew this would be his last look at his home for a while.

After checking out with the guards, Link passed through the gate and caught sight of two caravans, with a group of three people loading items into them. One of them was a man of significant age with a black and gray beard and thick, battle-ready clothes. A crossbow hung from his back, accompanied with a quiver of arrows. The other two with him were a Goron and a Zora. The Goron was tall and bore a large paunch, contradicting his muscular frame. His hair was pure-white and he wore a black pearl necklace. The Zora wore a draping loincloth and shoulder plates made from the skulls of fish. He had large, sharp fins on his arms that gleamed in the light of the rising sun.

As Link drew near, the group took notice of him.

"Are you here for the research mission?" the man asked.

"Yes, I am," Link affirmed as he stopped in their midst.

The man extended his hand to Link with a grin. "I'm Auru."

Link shook Auru's hand somewhat nervously. "My name is Link."

The Goron also approached Link. "My name is Darmani. Nice to meet you, goro."

"And I'm Mikau," the Zora greeted.

Link noticed that Auru's gaze fixed on something behind him. He turned around to see who it was. A young woman walked in their direction. She wore chainmail that hung around her hips, large steel shoulder plates, a brown cape that hung from around her neck, long, brown boots, and a short sword fastened to a belt she wore. Her blonde hair was tied into a ponytail. She came to a stop in front of them. "My name is Sheik. I'm here for the research mission," she stated plainly.

The group swapped glances among each other briefly.

"Yes, this is the right place," Auru started, "You can help us pack the caravans, since we will be leaving soon."

Link stepped forward. "My name is Link."

"Oh, how rude of me, my name is Auru."

"I'm Mikau."

"And I am Darmani."

After they had finished packing, they sat around one of the caravans to rest. The sky had gone from a red display to a pale yellow color as the sun rose steadily above the mountains of the east.

"Since we're going to be comrades for the duration of this journey, I think we should take the time to get to know a little bit about each other," Auru spoke as he stood up. "I'll start off: I my home is here in Castle Town and I've been here for much of my life of forty years. I used to be a fisherman in my younger days when I used to live in Lacus Village, near Lake Hylia, before it was burned down by the Bulblin raids. Since those days, I've lived my life as a researcher of sorts, traveling from place to place for the sake of learning more about the world we live in. This curiosity is why I've joined this journey, to learn more about the Triforce."

Auru let out a sigh as he took a seat on the ground.

Darmani stood to his feet. "My home is in Death Mountain, where the rest of the Goron Tribe lives. Until now, I have been in Castle Town as a merchant for Goron-made products, and while the business was good, my shipments have stopped arriving as of late, and so I have been looking for other work. The main reason why I am here is for payment, but I also hope to see what has become of Goron City in my absence." He sat down.

Mikau took a stand. "I used to live in Zora's Domain, where the rest of the Zora Tribe lives, but I left it years ago to see the world. While the payment is one reason, as is Darmani's, I also am taking this as an opportunity to see more of the world than what I could see on my own."

Link sat up, rather than standing. "I live in Castle Town just as Auru does. I've been here my whole life that I can remember, in fact. At one time I used to be a soldier in the Castle Guard, but I left in order to become a mercenary, to be free from the restrictions Castle Guard placed on soldiers. The main reason I've joined this journey is for adventure. There's not that many opportunities one gets to see the world without spending a rupee to do it." For obvious reasons, Link withheld the real reason why he joined. Even though they were not directly involved with the cloaked men, they couldn't be trusted either. Epic

Sheik, already standing, prepared to speak. "I am a Sheikah from Kakariko Village. I also work as a mercenary and have joined this mission for payment."

"A Sheikah, huh?" Auru said in wonder as he inspected her. "Outside of the Castle and Kakariko, there aren't too many times when a Sheikah is seen…"

"Many of us live in Castle Town, but most do not reveal their identities, especially since the Sheikah Conflict, sixteen years ago," Sheik explained.

"What's more peculiar is that you don't have the characteristic red eyes that –." Auru stopped his sentence short as he noticed a group of three approaching them. All of them work black cloaks with unique designs. Apparently there was one more that Link did not see.

"Good, you all are here on time," the one in the center noted.

All of them stood up as the trio reached them.

"We've finished loading the caravans, so we are ready anytime," Auru informed.

"Then we will be leaving as of now then," the man to the left of them answered.

"Wait, there's one thing I have to ask," Link interrupted, "I still don't know any of your names."

The group paused for a moment as they looked to each other for approval.

"My name is Eroraf," the man to the left spoke.

"Mine is Nid," the one to the right said.

"And I am Uryan," concluded the one in the middle. "Any other inquiries?"

No one responded.

"I see, then get into a caravan and let's get ready to leave."

The two caravans moved swiftly through the meadows of Hyrule. It was nearly noon. They had been traveling for a few hours without any sort of incidents along the way. It wouldn't be long until they will have arrived at the edge of the Lost Woods. Auru, with Mikau at his side, guided the horses of their caravan after the lead caravan carrying Nid, Eroraf, and Uryan. Link, Sheik, and Darmani sat inside of the caravan. Link and Sheik sat on a bench that lined the walls of the caravan while Darmani slept on the floor, curled up into a tight ball. Sheik's eyes were closed, but she was not sleeping. For most of the ride, they had sat in an awkward silence. Darmani fell asleep as soon as the journey began, leaving Link with the anti-social Sheik. The expression she wore intimidated him, but he was tired of sitting quietly. Someone had to say something.

"Sheik."

Her eyes opened at his call and she made eye-contact.

"What is Kakariko Village like?" he nervously asked, trying to generate any sort of conversation.

"Have you never heard anything about it?" she questioned with a cold tone.

"Well, I know only that it's where the Sheikah Tribe lives."

"There isn't much that I can tell you about it, since only Sheikahs are allowed beyond its gate, but it is just a small village erected at the foot of Death Mountain."

"Hmm, so no one else is allowed into the village?"

Sheik shook her head lightly. "There was a time when anyone could visit at their leisure, but since the Sheikah Conflict, Kakariko Village has closed its doors to all but their own."

"What exactly happened with the Sheikah Conflict?" Link inquired. "I really don't know much about it."

"You have no idea what happened with –." Sheik stopped short of her words as the caravan jerked sharply, throwing them off balance.

Link looked to the front of the caravan. "What was that?" he muttered.

Sheik gave him a look, suggesting that she had no idea what was going on. Link stood from his seat and made his way to the front of the caravan to investigate. He pulled back the curtains and leaned out. A number of Bulblins, impish green-skinned creatures, which rode upon boars, were moving in on them.

"Auru, what's happening?" Link asked.

"Stay inside the caravan! We're being attacked!" he ordered as he kept his focus on guiding the horses away from the approaching hoard of marauders.

Mikau swung his arms, releasing a sharp, boomerang-like weapon from his ulna fins. They flew through the air and struck down advancing Bulblins as they made their return to him. Link stepped back inside of the caravan.

"What's going on outside?" Sheik questioned.

"There are Bulblins attacking us!"

Sheik stood up and started to the front of the caravan.

"Sheik, where are you going?"

"I'm going to fight from the top of the caravan!"

With that, she stepped beyond the curtain. Surprisingly, Darmani continued to sleep through all of the shouting and the caravan's sharp movements. Link didn't have a bow, or any sort of weapon he could use to help out, but he didn't want to sit and wait either. There had to be something he could do. He moved to the back of the caravan and pushed open the doors to the outside. A group of Bulblins trailed close behind the caravan. The one closest to the caravan had a bow with a fiery arrow drawn on it. If a fire started on the caravan, their journey would be over before it could even begin.

Link drew his sword and suddenly leaped out of the back door to meet the Bulblin. The surprised Bulblin dropped the arrow from the bow and covered his face in anticipation of the blow. Link struck the Bulblin with so much force that it flew from its mount as Link landed in its former place. As he shifted into place atop the boar, he caught a glimpse of Sheik, standing on top of the caravan, throwing needles at various Bulblins that attempted to close the distance between them and the caravan.

As Link sped the boar to the side of the caravan, he saw one of the cloaked men, Uryan, standing outside of his caravan, tossing blue spheres of light at attacking Bulblin. Link suspected that they might have had some magical abilities, but seeing it firsthand was still quite a surprise. As Link looked on to Uryan's display, a Bulblin unexpectedly rammed Link, almost causing him to lose balance. He quickly reestablished his place on his mount and jabbed his sword through the impish creature, killing it. He then steered the boar towards the majority of the Bulblin who were staying at a distance due to Sheik and Mikau's barrages. Link fiercely attacked the Bulblin group, knocking them off of their steeds one by one.

Behind them, a loud roar sounded. Link glanced behind him to see what appeared to be a large boulder speeding violently towards them. Flames engulfed the rolling object as it came nearer. Link led his boar away from the Bulblin group as the flaming mass blasted through the Bulblins, casting them and their boars aside with ease.

As the fiery boulder did its work upon the Bulblins that trailed them, the sound of a deep horn echoed through the air from their front. Link looked ahead and saw a line of boar-riding Bulblins peaking over the horizon. A significantly large Bulblin led the pack, riding a boar that was proportional to his hefty size. The caravans slowed their pace, possibly to avoid the oncoming army. With these Bulblin reinforcements coming at them full-speed, fleeing was not an option. They were going to have to fight their way through.

As Link prompted his boar to ride faster, the burning rolling object sped past him, going for the army. Link noticed the leader of the Bulblins position himself low on his boar, pointing his spear in Link's direction. Link raised his sword arm up as he prepared to make contact with this new foe. As soon as they both passed into each other's kill zones they launched their attacks. The Bulblin jabbed at Link, but Link ducked down on his boar's back, avoiding the spear's deadly point. Link parried with a horizontal swing as he passed the Bulblin and slashed his side, however lightly.

Link turned his boar around to prepare facing the Bulblin once again, but to his surprise, the Bulblin continued on his original course. Link was never the intended target, but rather the caravan. Before the Bulblin could reach the caravan, however, the smoldering mass jumped from its course and struck the Bulblin, dismounting it. Link turned around as he rode in the fallen Bulblin's direction and saw the rest of the Bulblin troop still on a collision course with the caravans. As they came closer, every one of them fell from their boars unexpectedly. They were all struck down by Sheik's needles. Despite the Bulblins meeting their ends, their boars continued to ride on. The flaming boulder suddenly rolled in front of the incoming boars, spooking the beast and causing them to run different paths in a disorderly fashion.

With the army all but defeated, they had to finish off their leader. They could continue onward, but they would likely be allowing the Bulblin to relay information about them that could prove to be their demise later on. Link rode his boar to a stop near the lone Bulblin leader and dismounted. The flaming object came to a stop nearby as well and changed its form to Darmani. The caravans came to a stop also. The cornered Bulblin growled beneath his worn helmet as he stood with his spear poised to attack the first offender.

Link broke the standoff at once, charging the Bulblin. As soon as he was in range, he swung at the weary Bulblin, but the move was blocked and the Bulblin pushed Link back from him. Taking advantage of Link's loss of balance, the Bulblin swung his spear at Link. Link quickly brought up his shield and stopped the brunt of the blow, but was forced off his feet nonetheless. Link hit the ground roughly but quickly recovered to his feet and made another charge at the Bulblin. This time he tackled the Bulblin; Link's shield was raised in front of him. He knocked the large brute off balance and slashed him twice before he was batted away by the desperate Bulblin. As Link again hit the ground, the Bulblin leaped upon him and attempted to stab Link but Link rolled away as the spear came down upon him and staked the creature with his sword. As black-colored blood dripped down the sword's blade, the Bulblin ceased to move as his previously orange eyes grew dark. Link released his blade from the Bulblin's body and rolled away as the giant Bulblin's body slumped and then plummeted to the ground.

"Your skills are great, Link!" Darmani exclaimed as he walked near Link.

"Even so, I couldn't have done it without your help," Link responded as he passed by Darmani and back to the caravans.

The three men, Uryan, Nid, and Eroraf, were walking to meet Link. Link stopped when they got near.

"It looks like we made a good choice in hiring you," Eroraf noted to Link.

"That may be true," Link started, "But isn't there a safer way to travel through Hyrule than this? If that army was larger and more prepared, we wouldn't have made it out of that alive."

"If there was a safer method of travel, we would be using it, but this is the only way to get around quickly without having to waste much-needed time traveling through forests and mountains just to avoid bands of Bulblins," Uryan explained. "But in any case," Uryan pointed out behind Link. Link turned around and saw that he was pointing to the edge of a forest of towering trees – the Lost Woods. "We're already at our first destination. This is where we must have our wits about us."

Link felt a chill run up his spine as he stared off into the deep, dark forest ahead.


	5. Chapter IV: Vertigo

**Chapter IV: Vertigo**

~~~The caravans came to a stop at the edge of the forest. They all exited the caravans and gathered together.

"From here on out, we must continue on-foot. The forest is too dense for the caravans to travel through," Uryan explained to them.

"But if something happens to the caravans?" Auru wondered.

"We have a barrier casts around the two caravans. Nothing will be able to enter without us."

Auru raised an eyebrow in surprise as he accepted the answer.

"If there is nothing more any of you need to do here then let's begin."

Very little light passed through the thick forest canopy to the floor which was littered with fallen branches and dried leaves of seasons gone by. Though the few beams of light that managed through the dense forestation were sufficient enough for them to navigate with, it was almost as if it were night time.

"This forest is strange…" Sheik muttered.

"Why is that?" Auru asked her.

"Listen…"

They continued to walk on, but no one spoke. The sounds of snapping twigs and crunching leaves echoed through the air. At first, Link didn't understand what the problem was, but then he figured it out.

"Usually you can hear animals, but there's no sound of anything," Link noted.

"Yes," Sheik confirmed, "Something is disturbing the forest."

"Do you know what might be the cause?" Auru asked as he continued to look around for any clues to answering his question.

"I do not," Sheik shook her head.

They were suddenly halted as one of the cloaked men raised his hand to stop them. "There's fog ahead of us. Stay very close so none of you become separated from the group."

Link focused on the area ahead and saw the thick fog moving among the trees. The haze seemed to shut out any natural light that attempted to shine through, giving it a foreboding look. They continued on until they reached the wall of the immense fog. A purple light shone, forcing the fog away from their general area. Uryan turned around the rest of the group, holding a purple ball of light in his hand. "This will dissipate the fog around us, but we still must remain close by each other. If you don't wish to be lost, stay near me."

The strange white mist swirled around as Uyran's purple light drove it back. A malignant blue light seemed to dimly travel along through the fog, silhouetting nearby trees in a frightening manner.

"Is this why they call it the Lost Woods?" Mikau wondered as they walked.

"No," Auru answered, "This fog had never been a part of the forest in my previous visits. The name of the forest comes from an old folk tale about forest children getting lost in the woods and turning into monsters." Auru looked around briefly. "Something else is causing this…"

Link began to notice a soft breeze brushing his face. He thought little of it until he realized that the wind was growing stronger. Before long, the light Uryan held faded out and the fog instantly enveloped the group. Link looked to Sheik, who was next to him, and grabbed her hand. He looked ahead to Mikau, who was ahead of him and reached to grab his hand also, but before he could reach it, his hand disappeared into the fog.

"Keep a hold of my hand!" Link commanded Sheik as the fog began to swirl around them.

The fog became so thick that he was unable to see Sheik – or even her hand – through the fog. Not even his feet were visible any longer. The roar of the gale was harsh and loud. Nearly every sense Link had was being smothered by the wind and fog. He closed his eyes as he waited for the disorienting experience to conclude. Before long, he heard the roar of the winds cease and he no longer felt the overcoming push of its movement. He opened his eyes and saw that the fog had cleared. Trees surrounded them in every direction but ahead of them, where a clearing lied with light shining into it.

Link looked to Sheik, who appeared just as bewildered as he was. "Are you okay?"

"Yes," she nodded.

They released each other's hand as they began to further assess their situation. Link took note that they were the only ones that remained. Whatever occurred in the fog had separated them.

"Do you hear that?" Sheik suddenly asked.

Link looked around as he tried to search for the source of the sound she was hearing. "Hear what?"

"Follow me," she motioned with her hand as she began towards the clearing ahead of them.

As they came closer, Link started hearing the growing sound of a flute. Sheik led him through the trees and out into the clearing. Light shone through the hole in the forest canopy, illuminating the form of an impish creature that stood upon a large stump, playing a flute. Bright green grass covered the ground as fireflies flew overhead, dancing to the hypnotic tune the creature made with his woodwind. The imp wore an orange cap, orange clothes and orange shoes, all over which were heavily worn. The brim of its cap concealed his face.

"What is that thing?" Link whispered to Sheik.

"Do you remember what Auru said about the folktale?"

Link nodded.

"When children are lost in the woods, they become what you see before you: Skull Kids."

Sheik proceeded further into the clearing and picked a blade of grass from the ground. She held it to her mouth and blew. She was playing a tune similar to what the Skull Kid was playing. Link looked on in awe as he watched the duet commence. The forest itself seemed to respond to the union of sounds. The fireflies that danced overhead began shine brighter than before as even more of them began flying through the air. Even some of the outlying fog lifted as they played on.

After awhile, the Skull Kid ceased to play. "Heh… Heh heh… Heh heh hee hee hee!" it laughed.

Link felt a chill run through him as he heard the imp's shrill laughter.

"You play well. I had fun." The Skull Kid jumped from its position on the stump to the grass ground. "Are you lost?" it asked as it looked towards them. Its face was featureless and dark. Only red glowing eyes and the faint outline of a mouth could be seen on his face.

"Um, yes," Link answered, unsure of the imp's intentions.

The Skull Kid unfastened a lantern from his waist and lit it with the snap of his fingers. "Follow me. I lead you." It began toward the darkness of the forest.

"Come on," Sheik commanded Link as she went to follow.

Link followed after them. As they left the clearing, the fireflies dispersed and the light from the sun dimmed.

The light from the Skull Kid's lantern drove off the fog as they moved along in the deep dark of the woods. They were only half a day into the journey and already inexplicably strange things were occurring that Link never thought he would witness. As much as he tried to rationalize it, he could not understand how they managed to be displaced by the fog of the forest, nor could he understand why the Skull Kid they followed wanted to help them. And while being attacked by Bulblins was nothing new to him, he had to wonder why one of the Bulblin leaders attacked also. There was something more to this journey than their employers were leading them to believe, but he had no idea what else could be involved other than what they already knew.

The Skull Kid suddenly halted, staring into the fog ahead of them. Sheik and Link scanned around to see what could have been the problem. As they looked on, four shapes came into view through the fog. The Skull Kid let out a slight gasp as he caught sight of them.

"What is that?" Link asked.

Sheik was silent as she grabbed the hilt of her short sword, preparing for trouble. The figures grew more defined as they drew nearer through the veil of the fog. Link unsheathed his sword, preparing for a potential skirmish. As they came into fuller view, their features were revealed. Each of the four humanoid fiends stepped towards them with a quivering gait. Their rotting flesh incompletely covered their bony frames, revealing bone in some places. Their most peculiar feature was their faces. They seemed as if they were petrified by the rough treatment of clay and time, with a faint red light shining from their eye sockets.

Sheik drew her short sword and charged at one of them, but was stopped in her tracks as one of the walking corpses emitted a piercing shriek. Her entire body shook as she stood rigidly in place.

"Sheik, what's wrong?" Link asked.

She struggled to manipulate her mouth. "I…c-can't…move!"

Link turned to the nearest revenant and charged it. He smote it across its torso, causing it to stumble back as its balance was lost, albeit, in an unnatural manner. Sheik's paralysis faded as the monster took the blow. It looked back at Link, making direct eye-contact with him. As Link stared into the ominous light traveling from the corpse's eye socket, the red light suddenly flashed brightly at him. What seemed to be an overwhelmingly oppressive presence came upon him, staying his movements. Every muscle in Link's body contracted tightly, greatly discomforting him. The recovering revenant leaped at Link with surprising agility, tackling him to the ground and biting into his shoulder. Link screamed in anguish, struggling to pry the wight from him. Sheik grabbed the monster's neck and beheaded it. Its body crumbled into dry dirt.

Link recovered to his feet and retreated away from the remaining three.

"Don't look into their eyes! They can paralyze you!" Sheik cautioned Link. She quickly came upon another of the animated corpses and stabbed it in the gut and disemboweled it. The creature moaned in response, but appeared unfazed otherwise as it turned upon Sheik. As it reached out to grab her, she ducked from its grasp and kicked both of its legs from underneath it, causing it to fall to the ground. She followed up by stabbing its head and ripping the blade from out of it. The cadaver crumbled into dust as the other one before it.

Link took hold of his shield and ran at another revenant, blocking its line of sight with his shield. He rammed it back with the shield and swung his sword, halving the revenant's body and felling it. Immediately, he directed his attention and his sword at the other monster and felled it in a similar manner.

"Are you okay?" Sheik asked Link, looking at the shoulder the monster bit him on. Blood coated the chainmail that he wore.

Link nodded as he grabbed it for comfort. "If not for the chainmail, this would have been something more to worry about."

As the fog cleared, Auru could once again see Mikau and Darmani, though the rest of the group was missing. They were standing outside of what appeared to be the ruins of a gate.

"What happened to the others?" Mikau asked, scanning the area for any clues.

"The Lost Woods effect…" Auru muttered.

"Goro?"

"The Lost Woods effect. It's when one is under the impression that he is staying still or walking on the right path, when he is actually moving somewhere else. That is what I believe just happened," Auru explained.

Mikau stepped towards the decrepit gate. "What is this place? It looks very old."

"I have no idea…" Auru answered as he marched ahead of them, to the gate's threshold. "Let's go."

Inside the once-fortified gate was a courtyard. It had fallen into extreme disrepair. A sculpture depicting the Triforce was the centerpiece of the courtyard. While it was structurally intact, its color was very weathered. Thickets and weeds reached from between each breach in the cobblestone walkways while overgrown trees plagued the former gardens of the courtyard and some of the walls of the compound. At the northern end of the courtyard was an exceptionally large building, larger than even the Temple of Time in scale.

"Our main concern is getting back with the group. Let's find a way through this place," Auru informed them.

They started down the walkway that led through the middle of the overgrown courtyard. Along with the knowledge that there was not a living creature in sight, ominous shrouds of darkness seem to lie over the ruins. Auru felt as if they had somehow happened upon a world where only the dead thrived. Adding to the eerie feeling was the thin layer of fog that coated the ground around their feet. He knew for sure that something plagued the forest.

Suddenly, the stoned walkway cracked as something from under it seemed to push against it. Auru raised his right hand to halt the others. After a moment, the walkway ahead of them bulged and broke open as an anthropomorphic wolf-like creature surfaced. Its emaciated body was coated in brittle gray and black fur. Carnivorous claws reached far from its paws. The wolf creature growled at them, bearing its wide and hungry teeth.

"Stand back!" Darmani approached the wolf and punched it with his mighty fist, knocking it off its feet.

Around them, the earth relinquished three more of the demented wolves. Mikau readied the sharp edge he wore over his ulna fins. He closed the distance between him and the nearest wolf and attacked. The wolf performed an evasive back flip. He tried to take the creature's life once more, but it blocked his sharp fins with its claws and pushed him back. They began strafing around one another, looking for a moment of weakness in the other's form. At once, they both attacked each other, believing to have found that moment within one another. The wolf clawed after Mikau, but Mikau's swing with his fin struck first. The wolf retreated away from Mikau, bearing a grievous wound. Mikau finished off the creature with a final slash, causing it to burst into flames upon its death.

Darmani ran at the wolf he punched to the ground and reached to grab it by the leg, but it escaped before he could and swiped at him, but Darmani, rolled into a ball, taking the sharp blow with the toughness of his back. Before the wolf prepared for another attack, Darmani bounced into the air and came down on the creature, crushing it. It exploded in flames beneath him. Darmani uncurled himself and looked over to Auru to see that he had just finished his foe by stabbing it in the chest with a blade that extended from his sleeve.

"Is everyone alright?" Auru asked as he stepped away from the burning carcass.

"Everything's fine here, goro."

"No problems here."

Auru nodded in approval. "Let's keep moving."

They continued down the path, moving faster than before. Despite the likely presence of more of those demented wolves and other possible creatures, Auru still could see no life anywhere.

"Look there," Auru noted as they neared the staircase leading to the building entrance. He pointed to a sizable breach in one of the walls towards their left.

"Can you find which way to go from there?" asked Mikau, skeptical about the fog beyond the strange compound.

"All large structures in Hyrule face the direction of Castle Town. Since the front of this building is oriented north, the direction of Castle Town, we can figure out our –!" A shady creature appeared suddenly and knocked Auru to the ground.

"Auru!" Mikau shouted reflexively as he bore his fins for combat.

The strange shade hunched its back, its hands nearly touching the ground due to its terrible posture. A network of elaborate glowing marking ran over the entire surface of the creature's texture-less, tall body. From its human-shaped head protruded two irregularly shaped horns.

"What is this creature?" Darmani questioned.

The shade raised one of its arms, forming a fist and brought it down on Auru. Although he braced himself by crossing his arms to protect himself, the impact was heavy, cracking the ground under him as the blow stole the breath from his lungs. The shade raised its other arm and prepared to continue its battery of Auru. Just before it swung its clenched fist down again on Auru, Darmani slammed his fist into the creature, knocking it away from Auru and onto the ground.

After a moment of lying on the ground, the creature started to convulse violently and it emitted a scream of an indescribable tone or nature. The unnerving cry rang in each of their ears, slowly inspiring a sort of subconscious madness within them. Darmani quickly reached his breaking point and began yelling as he charged after the shaking creature. In a fluid motion, Darmani crushed the shade's head with a punch, silencing the maddening scream. It dematerialized into black particles that faded away as they dispersed.

Darmani relaxed his form as he began breathing heavily. "I do not ever wish to hear that sound again, goro…"

Auru got to his feet. "Let's move before more of those creatures arrive."

The Skull Kid continued to lead Sheik and Link through the fog, keeping the fog at bay with the light of the lantern. The forest was still as dark and eerily quiet as it had been. Even the crunch of dead leaves beneath their feet faintly sounded as they moved. It was as if the fog and darkness literally smothered the forest as though they were blankets cast over the woods.

"Do not worry. Be there soon. The place I take you," the Skull Kid assured them.

Link snapped up at the Skull Kid's words. They had been walking in silence for so long that he had almost forgotten that the imp could speak. "What place are you taking us, exactly?"

"The bright woods. There no dark and fog there. Help you find your way," it answered just as blankly as any other time it had spoken.

"The 'bright woods'?" Link repeated.

"I think he is referencing to whatever part of the woods that has not been enshrouded in this fog," Sheik clarified.

"We still will be on our own unless we find the rest of the group," Link reminded her with a tone of worry.

Suddenly, an unsettling sound pierced through the muted air. It sounded like an otherworldly screech that seemed to pierce every part of his body. Sheik covered her ears in response and the Skull Kid shrieked and covered his head as he crouched. The frightful noise continued for a few more moments before it abruptly ended. All three of them slowly looked around in wonder at the occurrence.

"What was that?" Link wearily spoke.

"I've never heard such a thing…" Sheik uttered.

The Skull Kid jumped up suddenly. "The Darkness! They come! They come to get us! Hurry!" Without warning, he immediately started off in a sprint.

Link and Sheik followed.

"Why do we have to hurry? What's coming to get us?" Link shouted to the Skull Kid.

"They come! They change us! They destroy us! The Darkness from the Temple!"

"What temple?" Link continued to inquire.

"There's a temple within the Lost Woods, but it is nothing more than ruins," Sheik started, "What could possibly be coming from there?"

"The Darkness will take us! Less talk, more running!" the Skull Kid urged as it continued on its speedy pace.

They ran on for a time without incident. Link was unsettled at the fact that nothing had confronted them during that time. He would like for nothing to attack them, his mind would be more at peace if they fought whatever was supposed to be chasing them rather than running in fear of the unknown. Again, the familiar unnatural shrill penetrated the air; only this time, there were more. Their sense of urgency increased again as they ran faster from the unseen hostile forces within the woods.

Suddenly, a silhouetted creature appeared from the fog and knocked the Skull Kid to the ground. Its height was that of the Skull Kids. It was featureless in its entirety and was riddled with intricate markings upon its form. Oddly shaped horns reached from its head. It looked as if it was a shadow of a malformed child. Sheik unsheathed her short sword and attacked the imp, but it leaped into the forest canopy before her attack connected. The imp let out a distorted laugh as it disappeared from view.

"It will be back soon," Sheik muttered to herself as she focused on the forest canopy.

Link ran to the Skull Kid and knelt down to it. "Are you alright?"

The Skull Kid slowly sat up. Link was unable to tell if it was fine or not due to the emotionless expression on his face.

"Link!"

He turned at the sound of Sheik's voice and saw the impish shadow, already in mid-air, coming at him. It tackled Link to the ground and began pummeling him with its fists wildly. Sheik kicked the creature off of him at once and tried to follow up by stabbing it, but the shade dodged it and leaped at her instead. Just before it reached her, it suddenly lost air and fell to the ground, squirming and making strange noises. Sheik turned to the Skull Kid and saw that he was sending a barrage of darts at the helpless imp from its flute. As the Skull Kid ended his salvo, the imp ceased to squirm and exploded into black particles at once.

The Skull Kid lowered its flute. "I help fight." It took its lantern in hand again and started onward. "Follow before more come!"

The Skull Kid led them onward, though they were no longer at a running pace. It still moved with a swift walk, but it was more at ease, humming the tune of the song that it played with Sheik.

"Hey Sheik, why did that song you played bring life into the area around us?" Link asked.

"There's a legend that tells of this song being the song of the Guardian of the Forest. When it's played, life comes to a lifeless area by the power of the Guardian." Sheik looked over to him. "Of course, I had never tried it myself until then and I had no idea that the legend would have been true."

Link put his hand on his chin. "Could the Guardian of the Forest be something like the Tree-Man folktale?"

Sheik nodded lightly. "'The Tree with a face that protects the forested place.' Yes, I know that story. Some insist that the story is truthful as well, but I haven't seen it for myself."

Link noticed that the fog was beginning to thin out. More and more beams of sunlight began reaching them as they went on also. After being in the dark for so long, it seemed like years since they last experienced the clarity and warmth of sunlight. A breeze blew through the area, but unlike the malevolent gale that separated them from the rest of the group; it had a pleasant and calm feeling to it.

"We are here. Just ahead. I leave now," the Skull Kid said as it turned to walk away.

"Wait!" Link called out.

The Skull Kid stopped and turned back.

"Why can't you come with us?"

"I live here; beyond is not my home. I cannot go." It was difficult to tell if the Skull Kid was sad or indifferent because of its emotionless face.

Link hesitantly smiled. "Thank you for your help."

The Skull Kid lightly nodded and faded into the fog that they left behind.


	6. Chapter V: Legacy

**Chapter V: Legacy**

~~~Link noticed a clearing ahead of them as they walked on. He broke into a sprint, eager to break free of the enclosed feeling of the forest; Sheik followed close behind. At last, they broke the tree line and into the open. Link slowed to a stop and raised his arms up to stretch as he breathed in the flowing, moving air. "Finally, we're out of that place!" Link sighed with great relief.

Sheik walked a few steps past him and stopped as she observed the area ahead of them. Link ceased stretching and turned his attention to her. "What are you looking at?"

"Look at these tree stumps."

Link looked out ahead. Stumps of gargantuan trees were in various places among the clearing. They all seemed to be cut in strange ways, almost as if they were sculpted rather than merely cut for wood.

"The way they're cut leads me to assume that they were, at one time, homes that people actually lived in," Sheik theorized.

Link noticed also that there seemed to be trodden paths that led to each stump and throughout the area. "Maybe," Link answered, "But there aren't any entrances to the insides of these stumps. Maybe they were monuments of some kind."

"Perhaps," Sheik agreed. "Either way, we can wait around here for the rest of the group to turn up if they aren't already –."

Sheik stopped short of her words as she heard the soft sound of footsteps. Both she and Link turned behind them and readied their weapons for what might be coming. From out of the tree line rand Auru, Darmani, and Mikau; each of them bore a significant number of wounds.

"What happened to all of you?" Link asked, running to meet them.

Auru was grasping his shoulder; it appeared to have been cut by something sharp and the wound was deep. It bled even through the cloth wrapping that was over it. "Monsters…" he struggled to say, "Strange creatures I've never even heard of attacked us. They made wretched noises that summoned more of –!" He stumbled to his knee.

"Hold on, Auru, we'll help you out!" Link assured him, as he helped him to his feet.

"Were they something like silhouettes?" Sheik asked.

"Yes, did you see them?" Mikau answered. His wounds were not as grave as Auru's. Numerous cuts marred his arms and shoulders, but they were mostly superficial.

"We did, though only one," Sheik informed.

"We also heard the sound you said you heard," Link added.

Darmani walked forward and looked about the clearing. "Where are the leaders?" His body was bruised, but he lacked lacerations, unlike Auru or Mikau, perhaps due to his tough skin.

"We have only just arrived here ourselves, so we haven't searched the area for them yet," Sheik replied.

"Let's keep going ahead," said Link. "If we don't find them ahead of us, they'll eventually catch up."

They started down the dirt path that cut through the open area. Link gave support to the injured Auru as they walked. Through their march across the area, the only sights they witnessed were the oddly cut tree stumps and gargantuan trees that flourished in the area. It was well into the afternoon and the sun shone brightly, although its heat was more soothing than it was hot, possibly due to the pleasant breeze that swept through the land. Eventually, the trail led them again into the forest, though it was not corrupted with the darkness and fog of the Lost Woods they had left behind. As they passed through the wooded area, they noticed the presence of birds high up in the tree-tops, providing a great contrast to the stark lifelessness of the Lost Woods.

Before long, the trail led them out of the stretch of forest and into another clearing. Before them now was a vast meadow with flowing grass and colorful flowers throughout. At a distance from them, however, was the meadow's most striking feature: an enormous tree, unlike anything imaginable. It was easily able to dwarf the Temple of Time in height. Upon the trunk of the tree were the features of a human face, with black eyebrows and a mustache. The roots of the tree stretched out far.

"I see you all made it out in one piece."

They all quickly turned to see their trio of enigmatic employers standing patiently near the wood line.

"No thanks to you three," Link spouted with disdain.

"If you all had reached for our hands quicker than you did, this wouldn't have happened. That's why I warned you all to stay close," Uryan rebuked as he and the other two moved to meet them.

"It seemed like you three were too occupied with helping yourselves, because none of you reached back for me," Mikau accused.

"We were just as taken aback as you all were, Mikau," started Nid. "Think about it: Why would we, your employers, want you all dead? That would make this entire journey a waste."

Mikau's indignant expression waned as he conceded.

"That tree…" Sheik said in thought.

Link looked out to it. As he examined its strangely humanoid features, he remembered his conversation with Sheik earlier.

_'The Tree with a face that protects the forested place.'_

"This is supposed to be the meadow of the Great Deku Tree, as the legends call it," said Eroraf in response to Sheik.

Suddenly, the sound of grinding tree bark echoed through the meadow. Everyone focused their attention to the giant tree as it began to move. Its face furrowed as its leaves shook loudly.

"Hrmmmmm!"

The tree's grunt startled all of them.

"What thou hast said is true; I am the Great Deku Tree, the Guardian of this ancient forest. I hath persisted for generations, patiently watching as the Kingdom, molded by the Goddesses' hands, has changed its face." The Great Deku Tree's furrowed expression relaxed slightly. "Who art thou? Thy faces art strange and new to me."

Uryan stepped forward ahead of the group. "We are a group of travelers who are here to study the forest."

"Thy mission is not what I inquire of thee. I ask only for thy names."

"My name is Link!" Link shouted to the tree, to answer his question.

"I am Sheik."

"I'm Auru."

"Darmani, goro!"

"I am Mikau."

"Uryan,"

"Nid,"

"And Eroraf," he finished.

"Thou hath surely seen the darkness and the shadows that plague the forest, hath thou not?" the Deku Tree asked.

"Yes, we have," Auru answered.

"And yet thou still journeyed into the woods after seeing these things? What is it that thou art here for?"

"We have said it," Eroraf said. "We are here to research the forest."

"Hrrmmmm!" The Great Deku Tree's face furrowed as if in frustration. "I know that thou art here for more than the admiration of the ancients. What is it thou art after?"

The three looked at each other as if deciding amongst themselves what to say. "We wish to have the Kokiri Emerald," Uryan finally admitted.

The Deku Tree's face relaxed once again. "The Kokiri Emerald, says thee…" The Deku Tree shook its leaves. They seemed to sparkle as they whirled through the air, slowly descending to the ground. A gust of wind came through the meadow, concentrating the falling leaves in their direction. As they flew past them, Link's body began to feel refreshed. He looked over to the others and noticed that the wounds they all once bore were no more.

"The trees thou passeth on thy way here; they art the houses of my children, the Kokiri. They shalt open their village to thee."

"What of the Emerald?" Eroraf pressed.

"I shall send for one of thee when I am ready to receive thee. Now go." The Deku Tree fell silent at once.

"It appears we have no further choice for now than to obey the Guardian's command for us," Nid noted as he and the other two turned to go back.

"Oh yes," Uryan suddenly spoke, "I just remembered to ask, but…did any of you happen to come across anything curious in the woods?"

"We found a ruined temple. I believe that the source of the disturbance in the woods stems from within the compound," Auru answered.

"Then it seems like we will have to keep that place in mind for when we begin our search, with or without the Deku Tree's aid."

As they all walked out of the woods and into the open space of tree stumps, they noticed that the area was very different than it previously was. Rather than being stumps that looked like they were vaguely cut for artistry, they were clearly tree houses with decorations and entrances. Other things like fences and walkways among the giant trees within the area were also present as compared to before. Fireflies populated the area in great numbers, giving the land a distinct glow apart from the sunlight. In what appeared to be the town center, at least a dozen children stood. They all wore green outfits of various styles.

"It appears that all of this was hidden by the magic of the Deku Tree," Uryan took note.

They walked on to meet the children.

"The Great Deku Tree told us about you!" said the one who stood foremost. He had red hair with a freckled face.

"Are you what the Great Deku Tree referred to as Kokiri?" Mikau asked.

"Yeah, all of us. I'm the leader, the Great Mido!" he said proudly as he puffed out his chest.

The other Kokiri sighed and rolled their eyes in dismissal of his claim.

"If you need anything, you can just ask me!"

Link noticed that there were bright lights with wings that flit about the children.

"What are those?" Link asked, pointing to one of the lights.

"You mean, 'Who are we?' We are guardian fairies appointed to the Kokiri by the Deku Tree!" it said indignantly.

"Fairies?" Auru repeated, carefully examining it.

"Anyway, the tree houses that you'll stay in are the one on the hill near the fences and the one with the ladder," Mido told them. "If you need anything, my house is the one with the flat roof," he concluded as he and the rest of the Kokiri dispersed, going about their way.

"We will take the tree house with the ladder," Nid said.

"At sunset, we will go looking into the forest once again, even if the Deku Tree does not lend us his help. Rest until then," Uryan instructed them as they walked away.

The inside of the tree house they were given was surprisingly spacious. A fireplace was in the center of the room while a bench and three child-sized beds lined the walls.

"I guess we'll be sleeping on the floor tonight…" Link muttered in disappointment.

"I can curl up and sleep anywhere, so I won't need a bed, goro," Darmani said. He walked over to an empty spot by the wall and curled himself. Auru sat on a bench and pulled out a worn book to read.

"I'm going to look around," Mikau stated as he walked out of the tree house.

Sheik stood and followed after Mikau.

"Are you leaving too?" Link asked.

She nodded. "I want some thinking time," she told him as she walked out.

Link decided that he would follow them out the door as well.

The late afternoon sun was high and bright, but not hot. Perhaps it was the power of the Great Deku Tree that made it so. Link walked throughout the village, watching as the Kokiri ran about the village, playing with each other or tending to their gardens. It was unnerving to Link as he observed the juxtaposition of the terror that lie within the Lost Woods and the peace of this village of Kokiri. The darkness they left behind was dangerously close to destroying the peace these denizens of the forest have likely long enjoyed. What further puzzled him was the Skull Kid. It appeared to be an impish monster but its intentions were good when it came to them. Why did it live alone and not here with the Kokiri or at least with others of its kind?

Down the path, Link caught sight of a Kokiri running towards him at full speed. After stopping in front of Link, he waited to catch his breath as he rested his hands on his knees.

"Are you Link?" he asked urgently.

"Yes, what's wrong?"

"Come quickly! The Great Deku Tree wishes to see you!" The boy signaled Link to follow as he ran back the way he came.

Link followed after the boy as they went through the village and the stretch of woods and at last into the Great Deku Tree's meadow.

"This way," the boy commanded Link. He then returned down the path towards the village.

Link became conscious of his heart beat. It felt as if it would jump out of him through his mouth with the nervousness he felt. He expected that the Deku Tree would eventually call for them about the Kokiri Emerald, but why only him? He swallowed his fears as he stepped forward to approach the Great Deku Tree. The crackle of tree bark signified that the Deku Tree was preparing to speak.

"Link," its voice boomed.

Unnerved, Link said, "Yes?"

"Thou hast seen it; the curse of darkness that grips the Lost Woods?"

Link nodded. "I have."

"The source from which the evil stems lies within the temple thy comrades hath found. It desires the Kokiri Emerald that I hold. Only the Chosen Hero of the Goddesses hath the right to claim the Emerald, and so I hath not given the evil its unjust desire."

"If only this Chosen Hero can obtain the Kokiri Emerald, then what does that mean for us?" Link asked. It seemed as if their journey would likely be at an end before it could truly begin.

"Thou may not have known, but thou art much more than a mere Hylian." The Great Deku Tree paused for a moment. "Thou art the Chosen Hero of the Goddesses."

The suddenness of the revelation stole the breath from Link as he comprehended the Deku Tree's words.

_"I am the Chosen Hero?"_

The dreams, the mission, the whisper; all of these events that led up to that point was beginning to make sense to him. Even still, the title weighed heavy on his mind as he started to accept it as truth.

"The…Chosen Hero?" he repeated to clarify that he wasn't delusional.

"Yes, thou art." The Great Deku Tree shook its leaves as he did the previous time. The sparkling, falling leaves blew through Link and encircled him. As they completely enshrouded him, he was lifted into the air. Before long, a bright light enraptured Link until he could no longer see. After the light receded, Link's feet were again upon the ground. He felt strangely renewed and surging with a newfound sense of might.

"Look upon thyself."

Link unsheathed his blade and spotted his reflection. Though the stains of battle upon the unwashed blade distorted the image, Link saw that he wore a new outfit. It was a green tunic, similar to the one he wore in his dream.

"Thou wearest the tunic that was worn by the Hero before thee. For generations, the tunic identified the Hero among the people. Now thou shall also bear it." The Great Deku Tree paused for a moment. "There is more I must also tell thee. A great danger lies in wait to overtake thee."

"Great danger?" Link repeated. He wondered if he was referring to the evil in the forest, or perhaps it was something worse.

"Thou and thy comrades will face great perils in the events to come. Thou must remain strong and pure if thou art to defend against it. Forget not thy mission as the Chosen Hero of the Goddesses, lest the coming shadow take thee unawares."

"Can you tell me what that danger is?" Link questioned, hoping for an answer.

"I cannot tell thee. My knowledge is limited and there is much concerning thy future that I know not. Nevertheless, keep my words hidden in thy heart."

"And how do I obtain the Kokiri Emerald?"

"Defeat the evil that threatens my existence and this forest. Without me, the forest will fall into chaos. I will give the Kokir Emerald to thee after thou hast liberated the forest and hath proven thyself worthy." The Deku Tree furrowed its face. "Make use of your newfound power." Its face relaxed as it fell silent.


	7. Chapter VI: Darkness Falls

**Chapter VI: Darkness Falls**

~~~ After returning to the village from the Great Deku Tree, Link decided to rest on the branch of one of the giant trees that grew within the village. He couldn't help but to periodically inspect his outfit to reaffirm that his being declared the Chosen Hero of the Goddesses was not a dream of some sort. The reality of his office had yet to hit him as he still did not quite understand the burden he would soon carry for Hyrule. He also struggled to figure out how he would relate the news to the rest. Although he had a solid lead on what they should do to obtain the Kokiri Emerald, telling them what he was made into was no simple task.

"Link?"

Hearing his name, Link turned around to see Sheik approaching him.

"What happened to your clothes?" she asked in confusion.

"I'm not too sure myself…" Link said, rubbing the back of his head. "I was just walking around and suddenly some of the Kokiri came up to me and gave me this."

Sheik sat down next to him. She looked him straight into his eyes. "What _really_ happened to you?"

Link's heart jumped. He couldn't just tell her up front. "No, that's what really happened –."

"I've seen the legends of the Heroes raised up to save Hyrule in times of trouble. What you're wearing is exactly what the legends describe the Heroes as wearing."

Link's false-smile waned as he concluded that he would not be able to hide his secret.

"What happened to you, Link?" Sheik pressed.

Link looked away from her and down towards the ground. "I was called to meet the Great Deku Tree earlier. When I went to him, he told me a number of things." Link folded his hands together as he figured out what to say next. "Among what he said, he told me that I was supposed to be the Chosen Hero of the Goddesses…"

Though Sheik did not let out a gasp of surprise, her facial expression read clearly that she hadn't truly suspected that such would have been the truth. "You are the Chosen Hero?" she said, nearly whispering.

Link nodded his head in agreement. "He clothed me with what I have on and told me that there was a danger in the future that we would have to face and that I have to remain strong for it."

"Did he say anything more about what it was?"

"He said his knowledge was limited and he didn't know. But he told me of how we can get the Kokiri Emerald."

Sheik's eyebrows rose slightly. "What is it?"

"Remember the temple Auru said they found?"

Sheik nodded.

"Whatever is troubling the forest is supposed to be within that place and the Deku Tree wants us to put an end to it in order to obtain the Emerald."

"Then we need to get started as soon as we can," Sheik said. She turned her attention from Link to the red glow of the setting sun, floating barely above the forest canopy. "There is something I've been withholding from you that I must tell you, Link."

Link's attention at once snapped to Sheik.

"There was a change in plans concerning what we formerly agreed on," she said with a focused expression as she continued to start into the fleeing sunlight.

"What plans? I don't remember talking to anyone about a plan," Link answered, confused at what Sheik meant.

Sheik turned to him with a resolved expression. "I am Princess Zelda."

Link and Zelda stared into the eyes of one another as they processed within their minds the implications of what had just been said. Link had been completely taken aback at the sudden revelation. As she said earlier, there had apparently been a change in plans…

* * *

_**The day before…**_

Princess Zelda stood from her seat and started towards the window once more. "Link."

"Yes?"

"Do you want to stop these men from doing the Kingdom any harm?"

Link glanced up again at Impa, who stood stoically. She still fixed her solid gaze at him with no sign of emotion on her face. He turned from her entrancing eyes and looked to Princess Zelda, who looked outward into the great expanse of Hyrule. "Yes."

She turned around and faced him. "Then I will need your cooperation to stop them." Princess Zelda approached Link until she was within arm's reach of him and stopped. Her soft, green eyes connected with his blue eyes. "I will send out a spy with you to keep watch over you and their activities. Periodically, he will make contact with you to collect a report from you about the happenings of the mission, but outside of that, he will not contact you or anyone else within the group." Princess Zelda rested on of her hands on his shoulder. "Secrecy is of the utmost. They can't know what your true intentions are nor can they know of the spy or the Throne's involvement. Do you understand?" she said gravely.

Link nodded his head as he answered, "I do."

Princess Zelda withdrew her hand from his shoulder and seated herself again in her chair. "I feel that you are a very dependable man, Link. I have faith that you will be successful with this task." Impa began to move toward the doors of the room as she motioned to Link that his time was near its end. Link stood up and followed Impa to the door.

"Link," the Princess spoke, stopping Link.

Link looked back to her.

"Stay safe."

* * *

Link continued to stare into Zelda's eyes in bewilderment.

"We lost contact with the spy that was sent the night before the mission started so there was a change in plans," Zelda explained.

"You're the spy now?" Link asked in near disbelief.

"Yes. We had no time to organize another spy in place of the one we lost."

"What about Impa?"

"She had other duties to attend to around the Castle."

"But won't the King be worried that you are out here like this?" Link pressed, still not convinced that she should have been with them.

"He authorized it. Besides, I've shown that I can aptly defend myself," she replied, resting a hand on the pommel of her short sword.

"But, you're the princess… Are you sure this is a good idea?"

"Are you that worried about me?" Zelda asked in a joking manner.

Link's cheeks flushed slightly. "No, it's just that –."

"I'll be able to take care of myself, Link. Don't worry over me," Zelda said, trying to alleviate some of his fears.

Link turned away from Zelda as he conceded to her will. "Just don't be too reckless."

Zelda smiled warmly at Link's protective display.

"Hey!"

Link and Zelda followed the sudden voice down to the ground below them. Auru stood beneath them. "We're getting ready to start our search! Let's go!"

As Link and Zelda approached the rest of the group, Link could tell that they had questions about his appearance.

"What happened to your clothes, Link?" Auru asked in an intrigued manner.

"Um…The Great Deku Tree gave this to me, but it's a long story to tell," Link summed up.

"Well, we'll hear about it later, since time is not something we can afford to lose," Uryan spoke. "Since you visited the Tree, did it tell you anything that can help us?"

"Yes, it informed me that the way to get the Kokiri Emerald would be to rid the forest of the source of evil coming from an old temple, probably the one Auru and the rest came upon."

Auru nodded. "We've seen it. It was where we ended up after the fog separated us."

"Can you take us there?" Nid asked.

"The fog distorted our sense of direction. With the battles we endured along the way, we were lucky that we even found our way out!" Darmani added.

"I think I know a way that we can use to get there," Zelda suddenly spoke.

"What is it?" Uyran questioned.

"When we were lost, we happened upon a Skull Kid who led us out of the forest. I think I can call it again, but I am not certain."

"At the very least we can try it," Nid concluded as they began to walk into the forest.

The light from the set-sun cast a frightening bloody red color through the foliage of the trees. The warmth that the day brought with it rapidly fled as a cold chill filled the space it left behind. The dry, fallen leaves on the forest floor crunched and crumbled beneath their feet as they made their way into the deep of the forest that they once went through.

As they walked on, Zelda raised her hand, signaling everyone to stop. She turned to them. "Don't do anything to startle it. Wait quietly." She grabbed a thick blade of grass and yanked it from the patch of grass beneath her. She put it to her mouth and began to play a tune with it. The hypnotic tune echoed through the trees, carrying far into the ever-darkening forest. Darmani caught himself as he nearly started to dance to the tune. Link couldn't help but to be amazed at the resourcefulness of the Princess. Perhaps it was due to the tutelage of Impa, but she seemed to possess the skill-set and knowledge of a well-traveled warrior.

Zelda ceased playing. The same tune Zelda had just finished playing echoed through the forest for a few moments before going silent.

"It's coming," she whispered.

After a brief moment, the familiar impish silhouette of the Skull Kid appeared ahead of them. Mikau grunted slightly as if he was unsure that the figure was the Skull Kid. As the figure came closer, it was revealed to be the Skull Kid, indeed. It briefly hesitated upon noticing them, but continued on.

"You play well still. Does Sheik need me?" it asked as it came to a stop before Zelda.

Link was amazed that it remembered her name after only hearing it maybe twice.

"Yes, we need your help. Can you guide us to the ruins in the woods?" Zelda asked.

The Skull Kid was silent for a moment. "Yes. I take you. Come!" The Skull Kid lit the lamp he carried. "Follow me."

The sun was no longer visible through the oncoming wall of darkness and fog, but its red light stained the peaks of the treetops above. Link could feel his confidence sink as the sun faded from the evening sky. He recalled the terrible condition that Auru, Mikau, and Darmani were in from their encounter with the ruins. His mind ran wild with the frightening possibilities that awaited them as they moved ever closer to the temple.

The foreboding fog that they left earlier was every bit as dreadful as before. It enveloped them as they walked into it. The same eerie pale-blue light traveled along the fog as before, signifying that the light source was something other than the sun. The Skull Kid kept a steady pace as they followed. Everyone was alert, watching the area around them for anything of alarm. The creatures that attacked them were likely still around.

As they moved on, the fog became thinner. They eventually came upon what were the ruins of a once grand temple. It was, perhaps, larger than the Temple of Time. The Skull Kid led them through a breach in the walls of the temple grounds. The courtyard was marred and battered with an overgrowth of trees and other vegetation. The walkways were worn and cracked. The Skull Kid led them up a large staircase that would bring them to the entrance of the temple. At the top, four of the revenants Link and Zelda fought before awaited them. Link quickly unsheathed his sword as he drew near one of the creatures with greater speed than ever before, careful to avoid eye contact. He brought his sword downward, instantly felling the walking corpse. Darmani approached one of the ghouls; the monster seemed not to notice him. He grabbed its face and slammed it into the ground. It lay on the ground limply. Auru donned his crossbow and fired three shots at one of the revenants, hitting its face with all three arrows. It dropped to its knees and then fell upon the ground. Mikau swung his arms, releasing the boomerangs attached to his fins. The two boomerangs overlapped at the point of the monster's neck, cutting of its head. Zelda watched in amazement, surprised that they felled all four of them as fast as they did.

The Skull Kid walked through the carnage and to the large stone doors that led into the temple. "In the place, the Darkness rests." The Skull Kid turned from them and walked away.

"Where are you going now?" asked Link.

The Skull Kid paused. "I have led you to the Darkness. Now I am not needed."

"Why are you afraid to fight with us?"

The Skull Kid stood still, facing away from them.

"Don't you want to stop the thing that's ruining the forest?"

The Skull Kid started shuddering.

"Running away won't stop it!"

"I just don't want to become like the rest of my friends!" The Skull Kid's voice had a flicker of sadness. It appeared to be crying. Without warning, it started down the staircase and into the darkness below.

Link stared after it in bewilderment at what he witnessed. Zelda walked up to him and put her hand on his shoulder. "Let's go Link. He'll be alright," she assured him.

Link broke his trance to look back to Zelda and then the rest of the group. He nodded in agreement with Zelda.

"If you're ready, then let's begin," Nid said in response.

A gigantic chapel stretched far off into the darkness behind the stone doors. Worn checkerboard tiles decorated the floor, with a tattered blue and gold carpet that acted as a pathway down the chapel hall. The oppressive darkness that filled the space within gave the chapel a malevolent feeling. Lining the path, the unrecognizable remains of statues lied. There were large stained-glass windows, but most of them were broken. Uryan created a purple beacon of light in his hand to help them see. "Follow me and try not to get lost this time," he said with a tinge of sarcasm.

They walked cautiously down the carpeted path. The darkness appeared to move in unnatural ways as they advanced. Suddenly, a silhouette figure leaped from the darkness and struck Link to the ground. It resembled a humanoid wolf, though the horns and markings that the imp creature that Link and Zelda fought possessed were also on this one. The creature turned to Zelda, quickly attacking with its shadowed claws. At the point of contact, Zelda instantly disappeared from where she was, appearing instead behind the creature. In quick succession, she slashed at the creature with her sword, concluding the flurry by stabbing the back of its neck. It fell to the ground, exploding into particles.

As Link recovered to his feet, he felt another presence behind them. He turned to see to more shadow creatures jumping at them. Link jumped at them and spun around with his sword. He spun fast enough to create a powerful field of energy around him, striking them with such a force that the creatures instantly exploded to pieces. He landed on the ground, surprised that he didn't feel at all dizzy.

"Let's move before more come!" Mikau urged.

They quickened their pace as they traveled down the path. They eventually came upon a wide staircase that reached farther than they could see. As they moved up the steps, the darkness around them began moving once more. This time, particles of darkness came upon them. Link took a fighting stance, with the rest also standing ready to defend. The swirling globs of darkness broke their flight around them and went straight for them. Link effortlessly struck down the particles that went for him. Darmani curled himself and spun in place, generating a blaze about him that incinerated the particles that tried to attack him. Auru used the blades that extended from his sleeves to smite the particles that came his way. Mikau and Zelda moved with great speed as they felled their respective foes. As Link scanned the area for more, he caught sight of a particle directly above Zelda that was descending on her. Impulsively, Link pushed her out of its way and attempted to strike it, but he missed it barely.

Before he could take further action, the piece of the darkness landed on Link.


	8. Chapter VII: Crescendo

**Chapter VII: Crescendo**

~~~Link dropped to his knees, grabbing his chest frantically as he grunted and gasped in pain. He supported his body with his hand on the ground as his other hand desperately grabbed for the source of his newfound pain. Zelda knelt down to attempt to comfort him.

"He's being overtaken by the darkness," Uryan grimly noted.

"Isn't there something you can do?" she asked as she looked up to them with an urgent expression.

Link began gasping for air as he continued to scratch away at his chest. Uryan continued to look down at him as if in thought. "There is something we can do…"

Zelda's expression relaxed slightly as she heard his assurance.

"There is a possibility it may not work correctly, however, since we aren't sure of the full nature of his condition." Nid and Eroraf joined Uyran's sides. "Stand back, everyone."

The group did as was commanded of them as Uryan, Nid, and Eroraf stood shoulder-to-shoulder with each other. They all reached out their hands to Link, who lied upon the floor, seizing. They started to chant word of a different tongue in perfect unison. Their hands began glowing with a bright light that increased in intensity as their chanting went on. As they continued on, Link's body was beginning to become consumed in a sudden shroud of darkness. After a moment, the light from their hands flashed a blinding glare and encased Link. Moments later, the light receded from Link and revealed that his body was rid of the shadow. He lied limply on the ground, now unconscious from the affair. Uryan smirked at their apparent success.

**"Link…"**

Link's eyes suddenly opened as he heard the voice. He found himself standing amidst an endless void of light. He just by looking around, he had no sense of direction or orientation. He looked around, searching the voice he heard.

**"What a lost soul I have found…"**

Link turned his head into the direction he perceived the voice but still saw only an empty void of white. "Who are you?" he shouted.

**"Seek me if you dare…"**

Link suddenly darted after the direction of the voice. He found running surprisingly simple, despite not knowing when his feet would land at each step.

**"Hehehehe… You move with so much uncertainty. You have no sense of direct. You don't even know if I reside where you believe my voice travels from, do you?"**

Link ignored the taunts as he continued to follow the voices trail. As he ran, the white void gradually transitioned into a pitched-black space. He stopped running and looked around, unable to see anything but himself.

**"Ohhhh… Why did you stop? Unable to see? It's nothing different than the void of light… You still are lost either way. You walk in the light, yet you wonder in darkness all the same…"**

"Show yourself!" Link called out.

**"If I revealed myself to you, would you suddenly find your answer?"**

"What do you want from me?"

**"Have you any desire to fill this void and find your way?"**

"What does that have to do with anything?"

**"I am here to occupy the space you have never bothered to vacate."**

"I don't need your help!"

**"Show me…"**

Link came to himself after a minute and stood to his feet. He looked around quickly as he assessed his situation. The rest of the group merely stood around, looking at him. The particles of darkness were nowhere to be seen.

"What just happened?" Link asked as he was confused at what was going on.

"A particle of darkness was beginning to take you over, so we purged it from you," Uryan explained.

"No, the voice…" Link's words trailed.

"What voice?" Zelda questioned.

Link looked around briefly as he reaffirmed that he was standing within the ruins of the temple and not some strange void. "Never mind," he dismissed with a shake of his head.

"We've wasted enough time here. Let's hurry!" urged Auru, starting up the staircase.

They continued up the staircase. With the darkness that enshrouded them, it was hard to tell how far they had come from the bottom. Save for the few feet ahead they could see they were practically blind. Eventually they reached the top of the staircase. To Link's surprise, there were two torches that illuminated the area beyond the stairs; the torches were placed by a large stone double door. The blue and gold carpet ended (or began) at the door which bore the symbol of the Triforce.

"Everyone approach with caution. The source of evil is just beyond this door," Eroraf warned as he and the other two proceeded to it.

As they all stepped closer, Link felt a strange sensation run through his body. The feeling lasted only for a second, but it felt like a long-buried powerful desire for something unknown trying to surface.

_"What was that just now?"_

"Are you okay, Link?" Auru asked as he noticed Link's blank expression.

"Oh, yes, I'm fine," he answered with a lie. In truth, he was disturbed at the sensations he had been getting since being hit by the particle of darkness.

Darmani approached the stone doors and pushed them open. The room behind the doors was not saturated in darkness as the rest of the building was. A pale light illuminated the room, hiding very little in the dark. The room was as large as the chamber of the Master Sword from Link's dream. Four large arcs, equidistant from each other, reached out to a point in the center of the chamber's ceiling. A circle with the Triforce inscribed within it was on the center floor and the ceiling directly above it. A gigantic stained-glass window was on the other side of the room. If a design had once been present upon it, it had long since been weathered away. The group walked further into the chamber. A figure suddenly appeared before them, floating in the space above the center of the room. He was a man in a purple hooded cloak that hid his face. He wore a strange helmet that resembled the horns on the beasts that they fought earlier.

"It seems that the monsters and Silhouettes weren't enough for you all…" he noted to himself. "Why would you want to come to your deaths so quickly?"

"You must be the one causing trouble in the forest," Link said to him.

"That may be, but what is your business in this land? It's easy to see that you are not children of the forest."

"We've come to put an end to you," Auru said frankly.

The cloaked man was quiet for a moment. "You've come to…kill me?" He chuckled to spite them.

"I've had enough of this," Mikau interrupted. He swung his arms, releasing the blades from his fins. They flew through the air at the man. The man moved from his position slightly as the fins started to make contact. They missed him and returned to Mikau with greater speed than before, striking Mikau before he could do anything to help himself.

"Don't be so hasty. Let me at least enjoy your company for a while," the man said with sarcasm.

"We have little time to waste on you. We'll strike if you do not," Auru informed as he extended the blades from his sleeves.

"Very well; I'll kill you now if that is your desire." A red light shone from inside the man's hood. A black and red aura filled the air around him, signifying the intensity of his power. There was a low rumble that accompanied the display.

"He's much stronger than anything before now. Stay alert," Nid warned them all as they prepared to fight.

The aura surrounding him suddenly dispersed in a flurry of orbs that flew at random trajectories. Everyone dispersed in different directions to avoid the deadly attack. Link once again felt the strong, overwhelming desire from earlier. As he recollected himself, he looked to where the man was, but found that he had disappeared. The sound of rushing wind came from behind Link. He turned around and saw the man coming at high speed with his arm extended and blanketed with the aura that surrounded him earlier. Link swung at the man, repelling his attack.

Suddenly, Link felt his heart pulsate heavily. The light around him bent as it happened. The pulsations continued, growing stronger with each beat. Link felt his mind quickly slipping from his control and into something else. The hooded man stood by, observing what was happening to Link. A dark aura violently engulfed Link. He could no longer think clearly; fragmented thoughts and feelings of hatred, desire, and dread filled his mind. His body's color faded into a shade of darkness as Link knelt to the ground, grunting in pain. Link's eyes began to glow red and his voice warped from the metamorphosis.

"What's happening to Link? I thought he was purged!" Zelda questioned to Uryan.

"I told you that there was a chance that it wouldn't work properly…"

Link's aura suddenly expanded furiously, knocking the cloaked man to a wall. Link stood to his feet with his transformation complete. Darkness swarmed around his nearly pitched-black form. **"I will…kill…you…"**

"What are you?" the man asked, getting to his feet.

**"My host is called Link. Who are you?"** Link's voice was greatly distorted.

"Anodro…" he warily answered, readying himself for anything that Link might do.

**"The power you possess is too great to be wasted on you."**

Without a moment's hesitation, Link suddenly appeared behind Anodro and struck him with his darkened sword. The strike knocked him away, causing him to crash into a wall on the opposite end of the room. Link quickly closed the distance he created between them. Anodro levitated into the air to escape Link's approach. Link attempted to swipe at him before he got away, but his attack missed as Anodro flew further into the air. Anodro's red and black aura returned.

"Die, you monster!" Anodro's aura fragmented itself as before, releasing a salvo of energy that was directed specifically at Link.

Link moved with amazing speed, easily dodging every one of the spheres that attempted to connect with him. As soon as he had dodged the last of them, Link leaped into the air, poising himself to attack Anodro. He swung his sword at him, but his blade was abruptly stopped. Anodro had blocked the sword with one of his own. The sword was ethereal, golden, and glowed hauntingly. He parried Link's sword, pushing him back to the ground.

"You aren't the only one who can use a sword," Anodro confidently noted.

Link's aura grew, emitting black sparks. He swung his sword down, causing a vertical wave of darkness to appear, moving after Anodro and knocking him from the air. As he hit the ground, Link appeared over Anodro and attempted to stab him, but Anodro quickly blocked his sword. Link jumped out of his range as Anodro got to his feet once again. Link dashed at Anodro as Anodro did the same. They engaged each other, attacking faster than a normal eye could watch.

Zelda and the rest of the group watched on in awe. They struggled to fully understand all that had occurred before them. Zelda noticed the craving look on Link's face as he viciously attacked Anodro. It was as if he was no longer himself, but something different.

"His power is growing more and more. If this continues, he will completely lose himself," stated Eroraf.

"Is there something we can do?" Zelda asked.

"All that we can do is to wait and see if he can overcome the shadow's grip."

Link and Anodro furiously fought, not letting up on the ferociousness of their attacks. Anodro suddenly broke away from their duel and hovered into the air at a distance. "I can see it… You are clearly something inhuman. The greedy expression on your face is like nothing I've ever seen."

**"Something as weak as humanity should never be trusted with something so powerful."** Link faded from view. Anodro suddenly was thrust from his position, hitting the ground with enough force to shatter the tiles beneath him. He bore a mortal wound across his back. Link landed in front of him. Anodro struggled to get to his feet, but he fell back to the ground.

**"Only one such as I should bear this might."**

"Damn you, monster…" he mumbled.

Link snorted at his curse.

"You along with this whole cursed land will pay a great price that you will regret… My gods will make…sure…of…" Anodro no longer spoke. His breath left his lungs as he lay lifeless.

"Link, are you okay?" shouted Zelda.

Link looked over to her and then to Anodro's carcass. He pulled the horned helmet from his body and placed it over his head. His aura returned with greater enmity than before. **"Now that I have this power, I have no further use for any of you anymore."**

"What do you mean you have no use for us?" Mikau asked.

**"You are all means to an end that you all have allowed me to reach. My weaker self may have cared for you, but he is no longer."** Link swung his hand through the air. A wave of darkness swept Mikau off his feet, knocking him unconscious.

"Link, what's happening to you?" Zelda asked as tears welled in her eyes.

Link turned his attention to Zelda and started at her with great speed, his sword pointed at her. He brought his darkened blade upon her. Zelda reflexively closed her eyes, not wanting to see the end of this final chapter in her life. In an instant, sword and body became one. Zelda opened her eyes to witness the kind of death her former comrade had given her. She saw Link's expression. It was one of extreme disbelief. She looked to the blade and traced it to an impish figure in front of her. Link's sword impaled it.

"I…fear no more…Link…"

Zelda recognized the shrill tone of voice; it was the Skull Kid. Its arms were outstretched as if it was trying to protect her. Link's aura disappeared as did his abnormal color. "Skull Kid?" he uttered in astonishment.

"I protect Sheik from darkness… I fear…no…" The Skull Kid's eyes went dark as its head slumped.


	9. Chapter VIII: Renewal

**Chapter VIII: Renewal**

~~~Thousands of stars performed a beautiful requiem for the night sky, a scene that would have been impossible to see earlier that night. The fog that plagued the forest was no more. The group rushed as fast as they could from the forest to the Deku Tree. Link carried the dying Skull Kid on his back. Darmani carried Mikau, who was unconscious from the fighting. Link struggled to come to grips with the events that took place in the temple. He was aware of every moment. He watched himself kill Anodro and nearly kill his own friends, even Zelda. He was conscious of it all, but yet he was unable to control himself. Some hidden desire deep within him seemed to awaken and took over his mind. As he thought, Link remembered the Great Deku Tree's words:

_'…Forget not thy mission as the Chosen Hero of the Goddesses, lest the coming shadow take thee unawares.'_

Link was finally beginning to understand the Great Deku Tree's words.

They broke into the clearing at last. The homes of the Kokiri were softly lit by candlelight. No one remained outside. The group passed through the village and through the forest again before finally reaching the meadow of the Great Deku Tree. Link proceeded a little further than the rest. "Great Deku Tree, we need your help!" Link petitioned.

The crackling of bark echoed through the dark meadow. "Link, what ails thee?" asked the Deku Tree.

"The Skull Kid and Mikau… Please, heal them!" he urged.

"It shall be done."

The Deku Tree frowned. Tiny pink lights ignited around the Deku Tree and began to levitate from the grass into the air. As the lights came closer to Link, they revealed themselves to be fairies. The fairies flit about them and then flew out from the forest. Link suddenly felt renewed and full of energy. Mikau came to his senses as he got off of Darmani's back. Link felt the Skull Kid stir as he revived on his back. He took hold of him and sat him down onto the ground.

"Where am I?" the Skull Kid asked as he scanned the area.

"Thou art in the Meadow of the Great Deku Tree, my lost child."

"G-Great Deku Tree?" it said with surprise.

"Thy courage has been excellent. Thou even went as far as to lay down thy life for a friend. Thou hast my gratitude."

The Skull Kid's expression was emotionless. The Deku Tree shook its leaves. In the same manner that they encircled Link earlier that day, they encircled the Skull Kid. It was lifted from the ground as the leaves covered it. A blinding light flashed and then receded. What they knew as the Skull Kid was no more. What stood before them now was a Kokiri boy. His hair was blonde and he wore a green cap, white pants and green boots.

"Skull Kid?" Link called apprehensively.

"My name is Fado now," he replied. Fado turned to Link. "This is who I really am. I wandered into the woods and became lost, and that's how I turned into a creature of the Lost Woods," he explained briefly.

"Link," started the Deku Tree, "Thou hast proven thyself worthy to be called the Chosen Hero of the Goddesses."

Link heard a slight gasp from the group behind him.

"As promised, here is the Kokiri Emerald, a symbol of my approval."

The Deku Tree frowned once more as a mighty wind blew through the meadow. A green light appeared in front of Link. It grew brighter until something began to take shape within the light. The light quickly receded, revealing an emerald, outlined with gold, in the shape of a leaf. It hovered within Link's grasp.

"Take it in thy hand."

Link grabbed the Kokiri Emerald. It sparkled like the moon.

"Thou hast proven thyself worthy in my sight. Now, journey into the land of the Gorons, Death Mountain, and earn their trust. I leave thee now to thy destiny. Forget not thy purpose."

The Great Deku Tree ceased to speak. The stars no longer shined upon them as clouds began to take their place in the sky.

"We have much to discuss about what has happened over this last day, but now isn't the time. Let's rest until the morning," Nid instructed them as he and the other two walked away into the forest. Link and the rest of the group followed them.

Upon returning to the tree house, everyone prepared themselves for sleep. Fado had chosen to sleep in the tree hose with them also. The following day weighed heavy on Link's mind; he knew that it would be then that he'd be forced to explain exactly what occurred between him and the Deku Tree, further complicating his own situation. The goal was to not to be a high-profile member of the group, but with the recent duty handed to him, he would no longer be able to stay in the background. What also bothered him was the evil that took over his body during his battle with Anodro. He knew that if it happened again, someone he cared for would surely die.

"Hey, Fado," Link said.

Fado turned to Link and sat on his bed.

"How did you get lost in the forest, anyway?" he asked, hoping to ease his own mind with Fado's story.

"Well, it was a long while ago, before the Darkness came to the woods. I and a few of my friends went into the woods to play hide and seek. We played for a long time, until the sun had set. After the sun had gone, we decided to go back to the village, but we couldn't find our way. We wandered the forest until a group of plant monsters called Deku Scrubs attacked us. We ran as fast as we could from them. When we looked back, one of us was missing. We were tired and cold, so we slept in a hallowed tree until the morning. When we woke up the next morning, we were different. Our cloths became orange as a withered plant does without water. We had become featureless shadows of our former selves. We eventually forgot who we even were, living blissfully in the woods.

"Then one day, we noticed that a shadow had fallen over the forest. Not long after, mysterious monsters began appearing and even the dead walked among us. One by one, each of my friends were taken in by the Darkness from the temple. Before long, I was the only one left…" Fado ended his story, attempting to stop the tears from coming out.

Link had no words to console him. There was a certain quality that Fado possessed that reminded Link of himself. Fado had a countenance about him that suggested that he had lived a lifetime, much like how Link often felt. Prior to meeting Viscen in the Castle Guard, he had no one to call a friend and his entire childhood was a blur. He only had the present and the future.

Link awoke to the sound of rain drops falling outside. Everyone else still slept. He put on his gear and donned a black cloak and left the tree house. By the hue of gray that the clouds were, the rain looked as if it would last awhile. Compared to yesterday, the trees of the forest seemed to teem with a new sense of vigor. The foliage held a bold, green color to it while the trunks of each tree played host to the moss and lichen that thrived from the steady stream of rain. Link walked about the village, taking in the peacefulness of the morning to ease his mind for the meeting that was to take place later that morning. As he walked about, he noticed that no one was out and about the village. He could sympathize with the Kokiri wanting to sleep in on such a morning. He surely would have under normal circumstances. As he looked around, he noticed a Kokiri girl sitting under a tree. The canopy of leaves was enough to keep her dry. Link approached the girl. She apparently did not notice him as she was busy humming a tune to herself. It was similar to the one Fado played as a Skull Kid. She stopped abruptly as she at last noticed Link's presence. He sat down beside her as the child-like being stared him down.

"Hello mister!" she greeted gleefully.

Link looked at her. She wore on her face a large smile that was pure as spring water.

"Hello. What's your name?" Link asked.

"My name is Lado. What makes you come out into the rain, mister?"

"I couldn't sleep. I needed some time to think."

"Is something wrong?" Lado asked with genuine worry.

"I've been given a huge responsibility, but I'm not so sure if I'm able to bear it. Already the challenges I'm facing are daunting to even think about."

"Huge responsibility?" she repeated with a quizzical look.

Link nodded. "I have to protect many people, but I don't know if I can do it…"

Lado was silent. She appeared to be thinking of something to say in response. "But whoever gave you that responsibility must have faith that you will be able to do it."

Link looked over to her with surprise.

"Whenever the Deku Tree tells anyone in the village to do anything, we know it is because we are able to do what he asks. He never tells us to do anything we aren't able to do." Lado stood to her feet and smiled at Link. "Whoever gave you this responsibility trusts you a lot. You should trust that person as well!" She then turned and darted off into the rain. "See you later, mister!"

Link sat in awe at Lado's words. He had spent so much time worried about his own ability that he did not take the time to wonder if the Deku Tree gave him his title because he knew that he was the one who could do it. He thought it amazing that someone so child-like could give him advice so wise. He stood up to his feet and walked away from the tree, humming the same song that the girl hummed before.

When Link walked into the tree house, he noticed that Uryan, Nid, and Eroraf were all inside. Everyone else had already packed their gear and belongings and sat on the ground, apparently waiting for Link.

"Fado, we are about to commence our meeting. I would ask that you'd leave us for this," Eroraf said.

Fado frowned, but did as Eroraf requested.

"Now, first we will start off by debriefing each other of the events that have passed over this last day," Uryan started. "First, I shall ask about the specifics of what happened between you and the Deku Tree, Link. Please tell us your story."

Link felt everyone's attention focus on him. He was nervous, but he maintained his composure. "Well, yesterday, the Great Deku Tree summoned me to him. He told me that Hyrule was going to be in some kind of danger that he didn't elaborate on. He also told me that I was the Chosen Hero –."

"The Chosen Hero?" Auru interrupted in shock.

"So last night was…" Nid muttered to himself.

"But why you?" Mikau asked, still coming to grips with the news.

"I still don't know myself… But I suppose maybe we'll find out someday," Link answered.

"Did he tell you anything else?" Uryan asked.

"That was as much as he would tell me."

"Very well then," Eroraf said. "Next order of business: I'd like to go over the issue of Link's ailment. As all of you witnessed, Link was subjected to a particle of the shadow from the temple. Rather than completely purging him of the darkness, as was our intent, it seems that our magic caused it to become a separate entity within Link. It seemed to thrive on Link's negative emotions, which could explain one reason it took over Link during the battle.

"As we have seen, this version of Link, 'Dark Link', has tremendous power and can be a great asset to us as he demonstrated by killing Anodro single-handedly. However, Dark Link can be a great danger to us all as was demonstrated by him attempting to kill us. In order to prevent that, we need to figure out a way to control Dark Link. Does anyone have any ideas?"

Link raised his hand.

"Yes?" Uryan asked.

"If negative emotions pulled it to the surface, as you said, then perhaps my fear of what was happening to me and my fear of Anodro are what brought about the change."

"I also noticed how Dark Link seemed to be interested in this." Uryan pulled a large satchel from his back and pulled out its contents. It was the helmet that Anodro wore. At once, Link felt a great demonic presence come over him. He felt the overwhelming, impure desire that he felt the night before saturate his mind once more. As he looked around, he noticed that everyone else seemed to be in a daze as they all stared at the object with equal greed. Uryan quickly bagged the sinister object.

"That's what I thought… This was the ultimate reason for Link's change."

Everyone suddenly snapped out of their trances as they looked around at each other with slight confusion at what had taken place.

"This item is called the Fused Shadow. It's some kind of evil magic infused with this helmet. As practitioners of sorcery, we have come across this object in our studies. However, the problem is that this is not the complete item. Other parts of it are missing. My guess is that the one responsible for its creation should be the one we must look out for."

Though what he said could have been the truth, Link found it hard to believe that they could be so insightful on the object, yet not have anything to do with it.

"Now, for the last order of business: The Deku Tree suggested last night that Link should go to Death Mountain next for his journey. That is where we will be headed next. It will take us at least two days of travel before we reach the base of the mountain. As Darmani may know, the Goron Tribe makes its home there. That is where we will look for the Goron Ruby, the next item we need." The three of them started towards the exit. "That is all for our meeting. We leave in thirty minutes. Be ready by then."

Their exodus of the Lost Woods was made much easier by the fact that the encompassing fog no longer made its home in the woods, making navigating much easier. All of them, except for Darmani and Mikau, wore black cloaks to protect themselves from the rain, which had grown in intensity since earlier. Day one of their journey had come to an end, faster than Link expected it to. There was no guarantee that the second objective would be so easily obtainable. The journey to Death Mountain was bound to be long and far more treacherous than the challenges they had faced before.

The trees of the woods teemed with life compared to the hallowed appearance they had while Anodro was still alive. Fireflies and other creatures that inhabited the forest prior to the fog were about once more, though most hid from the rain.

"It's a shame that we don't get to see the forest in its true splendor. But at least it's satisfying to see our efforts pay off in a good way," Auru noted out loud.

"I don't mind the rain all that much. It's a nice change of pace," Mikau said with a smirk.

"You would say that, Zora," Darmani said with playful sarcasm.

"Hey, look," Link said, pointing to a clearing ahead of them, with a large tree stump and a patch of grass surrounding it. "This is where we first met Fado as a Skull Kid."

"What was he doing here?" Auru asked.

"He was playing his flute here."

They walked into the clearing to investigate it. Link noticed some kind of design etched into the stump. He went closer to examine it. It was a picture of Fado playing his flute and Link and Zelda dancing on both sides of him. There was also a message on the bottom of it:

"Thank you, Link and Sheik."

Suddenly, a song echoed through the woods. It was the song Fado played when they first met. He must have known they would come by there. It was probably his way of saying goodbye.


	10. Chapter IX: The Great Battle That Day

**Chapter IX: The Great Battle That Day**

~~~After a few minutes, they reached the clearing; they were finally out of the forest. There caravans were where they left them. The horses seemed to be in good health, despite being left for a day without food, likely due to the trio's magic.

"Ah, yes, we're finally back!" Darmani exclaimed as he stretched his arms out in relief.

"Who wants to lead the horses this time?" Auru asked.

After a moment or two of silence, Link signaled with the raising of his hands. "Um, I'll do it."

Zelda perked up at Link's volunteering. "I'll ride with him, if that's okay."

Auru nodded to her response. "That's fine with me."

"Let's start on our way then," Uryan said. "We have a long road ahead of us."

They started the journey once again. Though Link and Zelda wore cloaks to protect themselves from the rain, the strong winds rendered their hoods almost useless. The rain had increased in intensity since they left the forest. Ahead of them to the east, the sky was darkened by the deepness of the clouds. The mountains of the east themselves, though usually visible from the fields, were completely masked by the driving rain.

Link carefully guided the horses along, following behind the other caravan that led the way. One thing that lingered in Link's mind was Zelda's silence. Not once had he heard her say a word since the day began, save for her volunteering to ride with him in the front. "Sheik," he asked.

Zelda, who was staring blankly out into the distance, quickly turned to Link as she perceived her name. "Yes?"

"Are you okay? You haven't said much today…"

Zelda looked down for a moment, as if she was gathering her thoughts. Then she briefly glanced behind them to see if anyone was there. "I've been noticing someone following us since last night. I didn't want to say anything in order not to worry you more than you already are," she said to him quietly.

Link looked around. "Do you have any idea who it might be?"

"It might be a Sheikah sent from the Castle, but with the strange things that have happened over the last day, I'm not very sure that could be the case." Zelda looked out ahead of them. "Either way, this stays between us for now until we know for sure. We can't let on to anyone else that someone is following us just yet." Zelda pointed briefly to the caravan ahead. "Especially them."

Suddenly, the sound of someone blowing a horn echoed from the distance. Link noticed the leading caravan slowing slightly. He maneuvered around the caravan to see what was happening ahead. As they crested over a slight hill, they saw a legion of Bulblin in the distance, heading their direction. The Bulblin army outnumbered the group they faced the day before.

"Auru," Link yelled back into the caravan.

Auru peeked out. "What's wrong?"

"We're being attacked again! Take control of the horses. I'm going to fight!"

Auru nodded and switched places with Link. He took off his cloak and threw it inside the caravan and climbed to the top. He held on, waiting for the perfect opportunity to demount a Bulblin from its steed. He took note of the enemy advancements as he waited. The leader of the army was similar to the one he fought a day earlier: heavily clad in armor and large in size, yet he wielded a large sword rather than a spear. He rode upon a large boar, issuing orders from the backlines. The platoon he commanded possessed an intimidating sense of organization, contrasting the group they faced before. The frontline was equipped with cudgels, a standard item among the Bulblin. The second line had swords, the third and fourth line, cudgels, and the fifth line wielded bows. They rode in a dressed formation of ten by five and had units of two Bulblin per steed.

"Link, are you prepared?" Auru shouted to him.

Link tightly gripped the top of the caravan. "Yes!"

Auru sped the caravan forward towards the enemy. For their sake, Link hoped that he wouldn't attempt to charge their ranks. Contrary to Link's fear, Auru tightly steered to the left just before coming into contact with them. The archers on the back lines fired their arrows at them. Link raised his shield and blocked them as they came while Zelda struck any stray arrows with her needles. The Bulblin fell out of their formation, pursuing them as they fled. Link took a glance back and saw the other caravan with Uryan standing out front. Link waited patiently for a unit to come close enough. Just as he found his opportunity, the caravan began rattling and shaking. Link grabbed onto the caravan to avoid losing balance. The Bulblin that were near the sides of the caravan were bludgeoning it with their clubs. Mikau appeared out at the front of the caravan and flung his fin-blades at the attacking Bulblin, felling them. As the caravan stabilized itself, Link found his opportunity, but the boar was headed by two Bulblin, making it a difficult task to demount them. Link looked down to Zelda.

"Sheik!" he shouted, pointing her attention to the Bulblin.

She nodded and threw two needles, striking them both in their necks. After they fell off of the mount, Link jumped from the caravan to the unmanned boar and gained control of the beast. With a single swing, Link felled two units of Bulblin that were near him and then he moved out from the caravan to make room for himself. Behind him, Link heard a familiar rumble. It was Darmani rolling in his curled stated. Behind them, Uryan struck down his share of foes with orbs of energy he manifested with his hands.

Link set out further from the caravan to the leader of the platoon. He knew that in order to ensure their survival, they needed to destroy the chain of command. If the Bulblin army lost their commander, they would become flustered and unorganized. The peripheral Bulblin units that weren't engaging either of the caravans formed up around their commander, impeding Link's path. The closest unit, wielding a sword, closed in on Link and swung at him. He blocked the attack and stabbed the Bulblin's chest. It fell from the boar, but the rider still remained. It rammed Link, nearly causing him to fall off of his own mount, but he regained control and quickly dispatched the rider.

The last two units that remained with the commander broke off to engage Link as well. The first unit that reached him slashed at him with a sword, but Link effectively blocked the moves. The Bulblin gained distance from Link to avoid attack. Suddenly, the other unit approached him from behind and swung its cudgel at him, knocking Link from his boar. He violently hit the ground and tumbled until he came to a stop on his back. He coughed in pain as he felt a rending sensation of heat well up in his chest from the blow. As he sat up and looked behind him, he noticed that the second caravan, followed by the other group of Bulblin attackers, drew near. He quickly got to his feet and dived out of the way of the fray. As he watched them go by, he held his chest as he continued to cope with the pain.

Suddenly, he heard the splash of a nearby puddle. He turned to the sound and found the Bulblin commander standing before him.

Zelda continued to defend the caravan from the barrage of arrows. She was running low on how many needles she had remaining to use. Mikau continued to use his fin-blades to prevent the Bulblin from flanking them. Auru continued to maintain his focus in moving the caravan towards its destination. Darmani aggressively rolled through the Bulblin he came across as they moved. Something felt strange to Zelda in all of this. It was not uncommon for Bulblin to attack travelers for the sake of plundering their caravans, but such a large-scale attack was unheard of. There was some goal that they seemed to be after, but what could it be?

A stray arrow flew at her through the air, but she deflected it with a needle. The attack suddenly brought to her attention that that was the first shot at the caravan the Bulblin had taken in a while. She inspected their formation. It seemed that they were carefully forming around Darmani while avoiding his attacks. All of the units that were riding around him were artillery, but they seemed to be preparing arrows that had something tied to the ends of them.

"Darmani! Get out of there!" she called to him.

Darmani suddenly made a sharp change in direction in an attempt to break out. The Bulblin were quick to his plan and remained centered on him. They fired their arrows almost simultaneously at him. Each arrow pulled a net from behind; they meant to trap Darmani. He was caught in the net and came to an immediate stop.

"Auru, slow down! They're capturing Darmani!" Zelda urged.

"It's too risky! We'll risk capture ourselves if we go back now!" he rebutted. Auru briefly scanned around them. "Where is Link?"

Zelda searched the area. "I don't know!"

The commander Bulblin stood before Link with his large sword resting on his shoulder. He lifted it from his shoulder and swung it straight out in front of him and held it in place. As Link stood completely to his feet, he looked on in confusion; he wondered at what the Bulblin wanted and why he did not follow the rest of the group.

"Take up your arm!" the Bulblin yelled.

At hearing those words, Link recognized that the Bulblin was challenging him to a formal duel. Link was amazed that, in addition to having an organized military, they seemed to have a sense of a warrior's code. Link slowly approached the Bulblin and touched the large blade with his own muddy arm, accepting his challenge. At the moment the weapons made contact, they both drew away from one another. Link lunged at the Bulblin, thrusting his sword. The Bulblin redirected Link's attack and punched him in the face, knocking him to the ground. The Bulblin jumped into the air and came down on Link in an attempt to impale him. Link rolled to the side, avoiding the attack; he quickly got to his feet and took advantage of the Bulblin's temporary defenselessness (as his sword was stuck in the ground) and slashed his side, cutting a strap on his body armor as well as causing the Bulblin injury. The heavy armor fell from him and splashed into the mud on the ground.

The Bulblin regained his blade and charged Link, swinging his sword down on him. Link blocked the blow, but slid back by the force of the attack. Link pushed against the Bulblin, knocking him slightly off-balance. Link broke from their clash and dove around the Bulblin's side and sprang up, slashing his side as he rose up. The Bulblin stumbled away from Link, recovering from the hit. He stopped at a distance and held his sword out in front of himself, keeping it parallel with his body. Link assumed from his stance that he meant to unleash a special technique. Link obliged the Bulblin's stance with one of his own; he held his sword behind himself, having it parallel to the ground.

"Let us recognize each other by our finest moves," the Bulblin spoke. Lightning illuminated the sky after his words.

They remained locked in their poses as they stared at one another. Neither the rain nor the wind made them flinch. They watched each other closely, waiting for a sign that would foretell movement. Time itself seemed to be at a standstill around them as it waited with patience for the first decisive strike. Lightning again flashed through the air, followed closely by explosive thunder that shook the heavens. Amidst the clamor of noise, both had begun their attacks. Link spun around with his blade with great speed, spiraling towards the Bulblin. The Bulblin commander lunged for Link with ferocious might as his sword cut through the air and rain in its path to Link. Both the warriors crossed paths with one another and then past each other. Link ceased spiraling and came to a stop as the Bulblin ceased to advance as well. They both stood still for a few moments as time caught up with them. Thunder again rent the air.

"Your power is genuine…" The Bulblin fell to the ground. Black blood flowed from a deep wound to his body.

Link fell to his knees and let out a few coughs as the injuries he accumulated caught up with him. His chest felt like it was on fire, his back ached from being dismounted, and his face hurt from punch he took. It didn't help that he was now drenched in rain and mud as well. Nevertheless, he stood up once more. He looked around briefly and caught sight of the Bulblin commander's boar that stood nearby. Link breathed a sigh of relief that he at least had a means of moving on. He slowly approached it, fearing that any quick movements would startle the beast. He was careful not to splash in any deep puddles as he came near. Once he reached the back of the boar, it grunted loudly and shook its head wildly; then shook its entire body, ridding itself of excess water. Link held his position and his breath as he waited to see what it would do.

Once the boar had calmed down, Link seized the opportunity and mounted the boar. It bucked furiously and ran in circles, trying to shake Link off its back. Link held on firmly, attempting to gain control by pulling the reins against the boar's movements. After a few moments, the boar was subdued and calmed down again, accepting Link as its new master. Link at once charged the steed to race off into the distance towards the East.

Zelda, sitting at the back of the caravan, looked back as they sped east, away from the tragedy of the battlefield. With Darmani captured and Link missing, things were bound to become more complicated. Furthermore, she could find no reason behind the Bulblin attack. What could they want with them, unless they were being employed by some unknown party? Perhaps there is more to Uryan, Nid, and Eroraf's quest than they initially believed.

She noticed that the other caravan with the trio sped beside theirs. Curious, she moved to the front to see what they had to say to them. Up front, Uryan was standing outside of his caravan, facing them.

"Listen to me!" he shouted, "We are going to find a place to shelter us from this unfavorable weather! Follow us as we will guide you!" He returned inside his caravan as they pulled ahead and led the way.

Darmani struggled greatly to break free of the bonds that held him down but the steel-enforced net proved to be too tough for him to overpower. The Bulblin, now already off their boars, were moving Darmani to a vacant boar. Their inhuman chatter was noisome and incomprehensible to Darmani as he listened to them. Determined not to be captured, Darmani attempted again to break free, gaining movement of his arms. He swung his arms ferociously, knocking to the ground one of the Bulblin that was helping to drag him. In retaliation, the rest of the Bulblin viciously bludgeoned him with their cudgels to bring him into submission. After they had finished, Darmani was riddled with bruises and had little strength left but to breathe. They bound him atop a boar, restraining him so tightly that he could only managed the movement of his toes and fingers. They Bulblin all mounted up and led him off to the East.


	11. Chapter X: Unforeseen Circumstances

**Chapter X: Unforeseen Circumstances**

~~~The Bulblin that led Darmani came to a stop as they entered what was a base camp of sorts, complete with makeshift watchtowers and tenements that filled the area. Many Bulblin and boars of all kinds occupied the camp. The Bulblin that brought Darmani in unloaded him from the boar and led him through the camp until they reached an exceptionally large tent. A group of three men appeared from the tent, followed by a large Bulblin, adorned with heavy armor and a horned helmet. The three men all wore black cloaks with unique designs that reminded Darmani of Uryan, Nid, and Eroraf; however, these men did not wear their hoods, revealing their faces. They looked relatively young, each possessing a strange X-shaped marking on the cheeks of their faces. The one on Darmani's left had orange hair, the middle blond, and the one on the right had brown hair.

"Where is your commander?" asked the large Bulblin that was with the men.

"The commander gave us orders to capture anyone that we could as he battled the Hylian Swordsman," one of the Bulblin replied, standing on ceremony.

"And is this the Goron of their group?" the orange-haired man asked.

"Yes sir!" answered the Bulblin.

The blond-haired man approached Darmani and closely examined him. Darmani glowered at him. "What do you want from me and my comrades?" Darmani shouted as he attempted to break free.

The nearby Bulblin raised their clubs to chastise Darmani but the man intervened, raising his hand to stop them. He met eyes with Darmani. "What do you know about what your comrades plan to do?" he coldly asked.

"Do you think that I would betray my friends that easily?" Darmani said in a low, bold tone.

The man smirked freakishly. His blue eyes unnerved Darmani. "No, I didn't think so." He turned to the Bulblin that stood around Darmani. "Detain him somewhere safe for now. We'll deal with him soon," he commanded them as he walked back to his group.

Viscen sat at a large roundtable with eleven other men; all of them were the Twelve Knights of Hyrule, second only to the man who was head of the Castle Guard, General Clausen, who stood among them. General Clausen was an exceptionally tall, bald man who was old enough to have seen more than his share of combat.

"Alright, now that everyone is here, the meeting will begin," he started. "Before I brief you all on what will occur here in the next few days, do any of you have anything to bring up?"

Viscen had much to tell them about what had recently happened with Link. He scanned the table to see if any other Knights had anything to say. Seeing that no one else said anything, Viscen stood up and saluted the General. "I have information to disclose at this meeting, by your permission, sir."

General Clausen saluted Viscen. "Permission granted." He took his seat.

"Three days ago, at sunrise, I came across a startling discovery," he began.

The other Knights at the table leaned forward with interest.

"In the local tavern, Telme's bar, a friend of mine, a former Castle Guard soldier, was looking through the mercenary's bulletin board when he found a post about a mission concerning a search for the Triforce."

"The Triforce?" one interrupted.

"Isn't that forbidden, to search for it?" said another.

"Well, technically it's just an understood precedent, but it was never a written law."

"Let's maintain order in this meeting, gentlemen!" General Clausen exclaimed. "Continue, Knight Viscen."

"I advised him on considering that mission carefully, telling him the risks that would come with it."

"And did he take the mission?" General Clausen asked.

"Yes sir, but he first had an audience with Her Highness, the Princess of Hyrule."

"Why did no one notify me?" he asked.

"The meeting was declared on short notice. Only the guards in immediate contact were advised to be on protocol."

"I see."

"The details of the audience that took place between he and Her Highness remain secret. Not even I know what was discussed. The day after that, he left with the members of the mission, reportedly heading south. If they are after the Triforce, then they must be seeking the Spiritual Stones."

General Clausen rubbed his chin in thought for a moment. "Is that all that you have to report?" asked the General.

"Yes sir." Viscen saluted and then took his seat. General Clausen stood again.

"Now, the reason why I called you all here is to inform you that there will be a diplomat taking residence in Hyrule Castle for an undisclosed amount of time. He is officially referred to as the Supreme Patriarch of the Tribe of the Ranul. He will be arriving soon and will be greeted by His Majesty. Please keep an eye on his safety and be diligent in putting on the finest example of a Knight of Hyrule."

"Yes sir!" they all sounded.

"Also," he added with a grim tone, "Stay alert for any more suspicious activities both here and in Castle Town. I will find out more information concerning Viscen's report. Expect another meeting soon. Knights…"

All of them stood.

"Dismissed!"

Darmani sat in a tent, bound by thick chains on his arms and feet and a large wooden bracer around his neck. The chains were so tight that they allowed him little movement. A single Bulblin sat on a bench nearby, carefully watching his every move. In addition to the physical torture he had to endure, Darmani now had to sit and think regretfully of the dangers that Link and the rest faced. There was no doubt in his mind that the men who were responsible for his capture were actively looking for the rest of them. The blond-haired man that questioned him earlier also troubled him.

_'What do you know about what your comrades plan to do?'_

The look in his eyes was not one of a sane man. There was an unmistakable look of hatred and blood lust in his eyes. He knew that a man like that would not relent in exhausting every bit of cruelty he could muster to achieve whatever goal they had. Nevertheless, he knew he had to endure whatever torture they planned to put him through if he wanted to spare his friends his fate.

The caravans began to slow to a stop as they approached a grove. Once they were within the trees, Nid, Uryan, and Eroraf left their caravans, gracefully landing on the ground. Everyone else left the other caravan to meet them.

"Being in a group of trees isn't the safest place to be in a thunderstorm, but it is the safest choice if we are to avoid the detection of those Bulblin," Uryan said to them.

"Are we going back for Link and Darmani?" Zelda asked.

"No, Sheik. It would put us all at risk if we were to go back. The best we can do for them is to wait for them to catch up while we're here. If they don't arrive when we leave, they will have to be assumed to be dead."

Zelda's face became pale upon hearing the prospect of Link and Darmani being dead. Though Link had been declared the Chosen Hero, she doubted that the title would save him from death. And with Darmani's capture, the possibility that he might die was even greater. All she could do was to wait for the Goddesses to give her an answer.

Viscen stood at attention alongside the rest of the Knights. They stood in front of a great line of soldiers as they lined the carpeted walkway that led to the throne of the King of Hyrule. A horn sounded and all of the soldiers slammed the hilts of the lances on the floor in perfect unison.

"Knights," started General Clausen, who stood at the bottom of the set of stairs leading to the throne, "About face!"

Viscen and the other eleven Knights turned around and faced the walkway, looking straight ahead of them. From just outside of the Throne Room, a large man appeared, wearing a mysterious mask of steel over his face. He was also garbed in a large black robe that left no part of him uncovered. He was accompanied by two other robed men that wore masks as well, though they wore intimidating metal gauntlets over their hands. They were likely bodyguards.

As the masked man entered the Throne Room, the guards that stood at attention near the King slammed the hilts of their lances to the ground. "Now presenting the Supreme Patriarch of the Tribe of the Ranul!"

The King, dressed in regally designed silver armor and a blue cape, stood. The Supreme Patriarch stopped at the steps of the throne.

"I am pleased to finally meet you, Supreme Patriarch," said the King, giving a half smile to the masked man.

"Likewise, Your Majesty. I am honored to able to have an audience," replied the Supreme Patriarch.

Something about the countenance of the Supreme Patriarch did not sit well with Viscen. He did not feel any sense of good will from the man. He shook away the thoughts, dismissing them as unfounded doubts.

"I understand that you wish to engage in talks about having your tribe ratified into the Kingdom of Hyrule, is that correct?"

"That is right, Your Majesty."

The King grabbed his sheathed sword that rested on the side of the throne and slammed the bottom of it at his feet. "My twelve Knights of Hyrule, escort the Supreme Patriarch to the Meeting Chamber."

The Knights snapped their feet to attention. "By your command!" they all sounded at once and then formed up around the Supreme Patriarch and his entourage and led them out.


	12. Chapter XI: Furthermore

**Chapter XI: Furthermore**

~~~Link rode through the muddy field atop his newly acquired boar. He followed the tracks carved into the earth by the caravans. He no longer saw the tracks of the boars from the Bulblin army, so it appeared that they had made it out fine. However, Link struggled to see what the point in attacking them was…unless they somehow knew about the Fused Shadow that Uryan, Nid, and Eroraf possessed. But how would they know? Someone had to be directing their movements from behind the scenes.

Ahead, Link noticed a grove, where the tracks led to. Perhaps this was where they stopped. As he rode closer, he made out the image of the two caravans. As he came to a stop by the caravans, the group came out to meet him.

"It looks like you survived after all," Auru said as he approached Link.

"Same to you," Link said as he dismounted. "Is this where we're staying?"

Auru nodded. "With the weather and the Bulblin, we'd be pushing our luck by going too far today."

Link looked around. Everyone else was present, but Darmani. "Is Darmani here?"

Auru's expression changed to a grim one as he looked down. Link looked to everyone else who also looked equally solemn.

"Did something happen to him?" Link asked, growing worried.

"Darmani was captured," Nid abruptly answered.

Link looked over to him in shock. "Captured?"

"Yes," Auru answered, "The Bulblin took him by surprise."

"Then shouldn't we be going after him?" Link questioned indignantly.

"We can't, Link," Uryan told him.

Link looked over to him. "And why is that? Are you telling me that we should just leave him to die?"

"Think about it, Link: We have no idea how many of them there are, where they are camped, how trained they are, what their preparedness is, or whether Darmani is even alive at this point. We would be wasting time and resources by looking for him."

"Are you seriously going to be able to live with yourselves if you let him die?" Link exclaimed in fury.

"Let us not forget that every one of you took on this mission understanding that this sort of thing might happen!" Uryan chided them. He turned around, starting to walk away. "Don't forget who is in charge here, Link." He and the other two walked away.

Auru walked up to Link and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry. Darmani is no weakling; he'll make it to us, just be patient." He walked back to camp.

"Auru is right," Mikau added, "Darmani is a tough warrior. He'll be fine until we get our chance to save him," he assured Link as he followed Auru back.

Link stared down at the ground, tightening his bawled hands in frustration over his powerlessness to help. Deep down, he knew that Uryan and the rest were right, but it was their lack of apparent concern that bothered him more than anything. Zelda stood by him in silence, unable to find the words to console him. In the short time she had come to know him, she could immediately see that he had a strong sense of duty. It showed when they were first attacked by the Bulblin on their way to the Lost Woods, and in subsequent events after that. He had unconsciously taken on the role of protector for their group; being unable to help Darmani, therefore, was likely a major blow for him.

Suddenly, an object drove into the ground in front of them. It was a throwing knife with a paper tied to its handle. Zelda picked it up and read it.

_"Meet me on the northern end of this grove."_

The knife was a Sheikah-made model. The fact that the knife was such all but verified her suspicion that their stalker was a Sheikah. She looked around the area carefully. The three were still inside of their caravan while Auru and Mikau sat around the campfire. The Sheikah's request for a meeting was timed just right.

"Link, follow me," Zelda urged him.

Link nodded and followed Zelda. She led him around the grove's edge, avoiding contact with the trio's caravan and with the others at the camp. They skirted the edge of the grove until they were away from the camp and then passed deeper into the grove, heading northward. Before long, they came upon a clearing and stopped. An area like this would likely be a place the Sheikah would meet them. Link and Zelda surveyed the area, looking for the any sign of their follower.

"Well done up to this point, our Princess of Hyrule."

Zelda and Link traced the voice to a figure in the tree tops. He effortlessly jumped to the ground from the grove's canopy and approached them. His concealed face, revealing only his blood-red eyes, and red and white body suit confirmed Zelda's suspicion that their follower was indeed a Sheikah. He had no weapon on his person, as far as she could tell.

"Who are you?" asked Link, readying his hand to draw his sword.

"I'm also impressed with your skill in combat as well, Chosen Hero."

Link was taken aback. "How did you know that?

"I've been following you all since you left Castle Town. It wasn't until this morning that Her Highness caught on to me."

Link lowered his hand from his sword as he began to understand the Sheikah's intentions.

"The Chief of Sheikah tasked you to watch over me?" Zelda asked.

The Sheikah bowed his head. "Yes, Your Highness. Please do not be offended."

Zelda smiled nervously. "No, I'm actually relieved that someone is watching over us."

"You risked revealing yourself and compromising us to the others, so you must have something important to say…" Link said, growing impatient.

"That impatience of yours is going to get you killed one day…"

"What did you—?"

"I was going to tell you how to find your comrade, Darmani, and about your next destination, but…"

"You know where Darmani is?" Link asked, hope returning to his expression.

"Hey, I didn't say I knew _where_ he was, just that I know how to find him," the Sheikah corrected Link snidely.

"Stop toying with us!"

"That's the impatience I'm talking about," he said, narrowing his eyes. "You have good intentions, but your impulsiveness will cost many their lives."

"What are you talking about? You dragged us out here just to lecture me?" Link snapped back.

"Do you recall the conversation you had with Uryan, Nid, and Eroraf before this?"

Link paused for a moment. "Yes, what of it?"

"I saw the fire in your eyes as they told you what they planned to do about Darmani. You really want to save him, don't you?"

Link nodded solemnly.

"Then you need to listen to me and be patient in all things that occur. I admire your tendency to act quickly, but you must balance it out with reason. Running blindly into a situation will have fatal consequences."

Link looked down in silence.

"Link," the Sheikah said.

He looked up.

"Will you promise me to make an effort to be more careful from now on? For Her Highness's sake?"

Link nodded.

"Good." The Sheikah turned and began walking towards the edge of the clearing. "The best chance you have of finding Darmani is to go to Kakariko Village and seek their advice."

"Kakariko Village?" Zelda asked.

"Yes, Your Highness. They have a web of intelligence spread around Hyrule. Anything that happens, they know about it. They will have the information you need to seek your comrade in the best way possible."

"How will we find the way?" Link asked.

The Sheikah turned around and pointed in Zelda's direction. "Her Highness knows the way."

"But how will they know to open their doors for us?" she asked.

"Like I said, they have a web of intelligence around Hyrule. They already know about your circumstances, believe me."

"And what of our destination?" Link asked.

"Death Mountain is in a state of civil war as we speak. There was a division of powers within the Goron Tribe, causing them to war with each other. It is very dangerous right now to ascend the mountain, but with Kakariko Village's help, you'll know what to do." The Sheikah looked around briefly.

"It looks like our time is running short. Farewell, Princess Hyrule." The Sheikah looked Link in the eyes. "You may find Kakariko Village more familiar than you think."

Before Link could question him on his last statement, he had already disappeared into the trees again.

Four Bulblin grunts led Darmani across the camp by very thick and heavy chains. He knew that they were prepared to interrogate him. He expected it to happen, yet his spirit sank at the thought of having to endure whatever torture he would be put through. Nevertheless, he could not give in to them. He wouldn't give in to them.

He was led to an area where there was thick vegetation that concealed what was within them. The Bulblin brought him through the thicket by a path that had been trampled out through constant use. When they made it through the growth, the three men he had seen earlier that day stood before him as well as the Bulblin that was with him. The four Bulblin that led Darmani came to a stop and picked up steel stakes that lay on the ground. Each of them nailed the stakes to the ground, between the links of the chains, to bind Darmani's range of movement.

"I trust that you've had some time to think about your situation, am I correct, Goron?" the orang-haired man asked.

Darmani remained silent, starring at the ground.

"It's pointless for you to stay quiet," the brown-haired man started, "When you could just tell us what we want to know and be on your way. There's no reason for you to get involved in this."

Darmani looked at the man. "What do you mean?"

"You will not be asking any questions here," the blond began, approaching Darmani. "You are here to answer our questions and you will not leave this camp until we have what we want." He stopped just out of Darmani's reach. "I will ask you once more: What are your comrades planning to do?"

"Why does it matter to you?"

All four of the Bulblin raised their clubs and began bludgeoning Darmani, mercilessly inflicting as much pain as their will could manifest. After a while, the blond-haired man signaled them to stop, relieving Darmani. His body was covered with bruising. His mouth also bled.

"I warned you that you will not be asking questions of us here."

Darmani raised his head up to meet the man's eyes. A frenzied determination showed through his gaze. It was clear that they were prepared to do whatever it took to get what they were after.

Viscen had checked out of his station and prepared to retire for the day. Though the clouds were immensely deep, concealing the sun's position, the dark hue of the gray clouds suggested that it was sunset. So much had happened in the castle that day that he had trouble taking it all it. Dealing with small-time politics was common in the castle, but never in the time he had been a member of Castle Guard had a foreign body visited the castle. The implications alone hinted that there were sure to be big changes ahead.

As he walked through the castle, he saw General Clausen walking toward him. Viscen stopped and saluted him. The General returned the salute. "Knight Viscen, I've some more information concerning the events you informed us about that I think you should hear."

"Information, sir?" Viscen asked, curious about why he would approach him about it.

"According to the Chief of Sheikah, former guard Link and the group he travels with have retrieved one of the Spiritual Stones from Kokiri Forest."

"So they're after the stones after all," Viscen affirmed.

"From what it seems, yes. There is also another find that I think you should hear." General Clausen paused and looked around. After a sweep of the area, he refocused on Viscen. "This conversation does not leave our ears, understood?"

Viscen nodded.

"According to our sources," Clausen continued, "Former guard Link is was supposedly named the Chosen Hero."

Viscen was taken by surprise with the General's information. Link, the Chosen Hero? "Sir, did you say 'Chosen Hero?'" he asked in disbelief.

"Yes. Word has it that Princess Zelda is with them as well."

"Her highness is with them?" Viscen repeated, again unready for what he had heard.

"That's what the Chief of Sheikah's spy informed him. To further complicate things, they're headed for Death Mountain."

"Isn't there a civil war happening, sir?"

"Yes, I'm curious to see how they plan to get the stone from the Gorons."

"Is there anything more, sir?"

"That was everything I know at the moment. Expect another meeting about this situation soon." Viscen saluted and the General returned the salute. They both parted from each other.

Link and Zelda sat at the back of the caravan, looking out into the distance. They sat in silence with each other as they watched the rain white-wash the fields beyond. The parting words of the Sheikah they met troubled Link. As well as he could remember, he had never been to Kakariko Village, nor was he acquainted with anyone from the village. How could it possibly be anything like a home?

"Link, when should we tell them about the idea of going to Kakariko?" Zelda said, breaking the silence.

"We can wait until the morning when we leave. There's no rush to tell them right now," Link answered flatly as he continued to watch the rain.

It was clear to Zelda that Link was dejected. Much had happened over the course of the day. Until now, none of them had been given a chance to take it all in. She looked over to him and watched him for a moment. His icy eyes were distant, farther off than even Death Mountain. "We will find Darmani and we will make it to Death Mountain," she spoke as she turned from Link and looked out. "No matter what, we won't abandon him."


End file.
